 Based on the acclaimed author Charles Dickens' book from the 19th century (1843 to be exact), this is just one of several adaptations of what is perhaps the greatest Christmas story of all time. And while many gravitate towards the Muppets' version of the tale (and don't get me wrong, I absolutely love that version too), I will forever and always claim the 1951 version of the story, also well-known as simply 'Scrooge', as, by far, the best version of the classic story apart from the book itself... which is actually a bit of a chore, if I'm being honest.
Unless you've been spending a lot of time under a rock, chances are you've seen some version of this and, therefore, know the basic story. But since I have a whole review to write, let me just give my audience a brief synopsis. Ebeneezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim) is a greedy old miser of a man with no Christmas spirit. He treats the poor with little to no respect and is rather ignorant of the concepts of family and friends and loved ones visiting over the holidays. He has a cold numbness towards it all, often being quite harsh about it. One Christmas Eve, Scrooge returns home from a meal to find the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley (Michael Hordern), who was just as miserly and miserable as Scrooge was in his life, haunting his home. Having passed seven years ago that night, Marley has since been constructing and linking heavy chains as punishment for his life's wrong-doings, and he warns Scrooge that he must change his ways or suffer the same fate. To achieve his salvation, Scrooge is to be visited throughout the night by the ghosts of Christmas Past (Michael Dolan), Christmas Present (Francis De Wolff), and Christmas Yet to Come (Czeslaw Konarski). This movie is still quite an amazing film by today's standards as far as good storytelling, a likeable cast of characters, and I might even argue a few of the effects which mostly include the transparency of the spirits against some backdrops and set pieces that really set the mood the film is going for at any given time. But what really sells this movie above everything else is Sim's portrayal of Scrooge. This man's range is remarkable, and I hate to say it, but I find that he's more impressive than many big-time recognizable actors from a more present time, like Michael Cain or Patrick Stewart in the same role. The big stand-out performance considering Sim's range is what I like to call "the morning after scene." I would consider this a spoiler that is no longer a spoiler, considering the story's overall fame, but this is the scene when Scrooge has learned his lesson and does a complete 180 in his behaviour, becoming pleasant, cheerful and charitable as a result of his visit. Not only will he make you laugh out loud with his behaviour, but he may even bring tears of joy. He sincerely sells how much he has been changed, and it leaves one with the warmest of feelings deep down inside. There have been so many remakes of this story; it's kind of insane. But to this day, I still claim this version to be the Golden Standard for the story's adaptation, and that's for several different reasons, not the least of which is the "morning after" scene that I just described. The film's music, contrasting acting, and moody sets give it a classic feeling and take us back to the time and place the story was written, the 1840s in London, England. It strikes me as a Christmas movie one should watch next to a roaring fireplace with all the lights off. As far as the classics go, this one should be on everyone's list who prefers the classics to anything present-day. I also think this is a version of the story that everyone needs to see if they haven't. It may feel dull at points, but stay focused on Scrooge's progression and enjoy Sim's portrayal, and it will all come together in the end. It's one that hits every emotion, and in the end, a Christmas movie so beautifully done that leaves you with a warmth I could only compare to 'Wonderful Life'. 5/5
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 Speaking personally, 2015 was pretty tough for me for a few reasons I won't bore anyone with. So when it came to the release of a new Christmas comedy made for those of the pot-smoking variety (and yes, this was before it was legalized up here in the Great White North), I was more than thrilled at the idea - especially considering it features the combo of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, who I loved immensely as a combo in a previous movie; 2011's '50/50'. It seemed the perfect way to wrap up an otherwise bothersome year.
It turns out this has since become an annual watch for me, and this is me in year #9, which is hard to believe. Since its release, it has become such a perfect Christmas movie for me that it has ultimately replaced 'Bad Santa' as my one must-see "adult" Christmas movie of the year (not counting 'Christmas Vacation,' which is irreplaceable!) Every time I see it, it leaves me with a warm fuzzy feeling, even though it's still a raunchy stoner comedy full of adult humour. Speaking from my perspective, there's a relatability that is almost unparalleled in Christmas movies, but I'll get to that in a bit. The movie opens with a Christmas rhyme, telling us the backstory of Ethan (Gordon-Levitt), who lost his parents in a terrible car accident several years earlier, around Christmastime. Since the incident, Ethan's best friends, Chris (Anthony Mackie) and Isaac (Seth Rogen), have supported him every Christmas by developing an annual tradition of hitting the streets of Manhattan, painting the town red, and having a great time celebrating the holiday. One year, they are told about the glitziest of parties known as "The Nutcracker Ball" - an event one can attend by special invitation only. They continue their traditions each year while looking for this epic annual party. However, since Isaac is becoming a family man and Chris is becoming a famous athlete, their time is coming to a close. 2015 marks the last year of following this fun tradition but with a catch. While working a holiday party serving hors d'oeuvres, Ethan is asked to quickly take over the coat check station, where he just so happens to stumble upon three tickets to the Nutcracker Ball. Seeing his opportunity, he snatches the tickets and runs out the door to meet up with his friends for this last chance at making this Christmas the best Christmas ever, ultimately wrapping up their tradition in a nice, shiny bow. As one would expect, this is one of those "one-night party" movies in which the main cast encounters all sorts of roadblocks on their way to this amazing Christmas party. Ethan spends much of the film still in love with his ex, Diana (Lizzy Caplan), with whom he'd consider getting back together, but he is unsure if she's on the same page. He also has a strong sense of nostalgia and wants his friends to stick together for as long as they can. I tend to relate to his situation on a deeper level in that he has difficulty adapting to necessary change. He also tries to be the voice of reason through the night, which is not a brag, but I can say I've been there a few times and understand his frustration. Meanwhile, Isaac's wife, Betsy (Jillian Bell) is pregnant. Because Isaac has been so strong for her through her pregnancy, she gives him a container with any drug you can possibly think of as a gift for the last night of their Christmas tradition. Between him and an ever-popping-up pot dealer named Mr. Green (Michael Shannon), I'm not sure who owns the comedy relief through the film more. While I relate to Isaac as the pot smoker (not so much the other stuff), he also provides a good, albeit hilarious, look at how anxiety can work. I think it's safe to admit that I can overthink situations like nobody's business. With Chris, the relatability has more to do with what's on the surface and putting his life on social media - again, I'm totally guilty of this. But it's nice to see how the film pokes fun at the idea, showing me how dumb it can sometimes look. Maybe this is one of those situations where I look at the movie more deeply than I should, but I would also argue there's nothing wrong with that, and movies are art, largely open to interpretation. This is a stoner comedy of often over-the-top proportions, but when the film ends, one can see a deeper meaning of how family can ultimately be defined. It's actually kinda beautiful in its own way, and it always puts me in the holiday spirit. 5/5  This title comes from a great niche director by the name of Michael Dougherty, who also did the instant Halloween classic 'Trick r' Treat'. The beauty of this man is that he's not afraid to give us the strange and twisted without holding anything back. He just goes for it while taking pure pleasure in creating these surreal creatures that provide some pretty fantastic nightmare fuel. Perhaps the prime example is the now widely regarded Sam from 'Trick r' Treat' who has taken his seat at the table of recognizable horror villains.
While 'Krampus' isn't quite the calibre of 'Trick 'r Treat,' it's very much done in the same spirit. It's a dark and creepy ride the whole way through, and all of those comfy, cozy things we love so much about Christmas end up taking a turn and get pretty bloody horrific with this movie, catching us a touch more off guard than a Halloween-themed movie would because hey, it's Christmas! The way 'Trick 'r Treat' compares to 'Halloween' nowadays can also be seen here, comparing 'Krampus' to 'Black Christmas'. In other words, it's probably the best horror movie for the respective holiday since 1970-something. The story centers on a young boy named Max (Emjay Anthony). A sweet boy with his imagination still hanging onto Christmas magic, he's actively getting into the holiday spirit and getting his letter for Santa ready. A part of him, however, "knows better" about the truth behind Santa. In contrast, another part listens to his Omi (Krista Stadler), considering Santa to have a bit of a deeper meaning than something physical in a red suit. I was taught the same way upon discovering the truth. The idea is that Santa is totally real, for he is the symbol that represents the magic and warmth of the Christmas spirit. Everything gets ruined for Max when his family comes by for the holidays, sporting their very redneck, ignorant attitudes, which ultimately sets him off to go upstairs, tear up his letter to Santa, and essentially lose faith in the whole Christmas deal. However, in doing this, he accidentally seems to summon the anti-Santa, Krampus - a being sent to punish those who have been bad. This is how some cultures look at Christmas instead of our much more tame tradition of "coal in the stocking" (which I'm not even certain is a thing anymore). And while the idea of an anti-Santa is fun to those of us a bit more morbid about things, I would still prefer the coal idea after seeing what this thing can do. The movie ends up being more or less a "bottle movie," borrowing a lot of inspiration from movies like 'Night of the Living Dead,' and I'd even say, to some extent, oddly enough, 'Christmas Vacation' based on a lot of the comedic dysfunction of the family. It also features Adam Scott and Toni Collette as Max's parents, David Koechner and Allison Tolman as his aunt and uncle, and topped with Conchatta Ferrell as miserable Aunt Dorothy. So, all in all, it's actually an interesting combination of B-C-listed talent, and I wouldn't have it any other way. For some reason, I feel like an A-lister would feel out of place here. Actors aside, however, they're far from the best thing about this flick. The practical creature effects are What really sell you on this as a horror movie. There IS a fairly sad-looking army of killer gingerbread men done in CG. Still, once you see what's lurking elsewhere in the house, you're provided with some genuinely creepy and imaginative creatures straight out of one's nightmares. It's no secret that I also give horror movies much more credit when they ensure the audience that no one in the cast is safe. I will not spoil anything here, but the final outcome of this movie is really cool and leaves the viewer feeling very disturbed. This is not something I'd consider a traditional "Christmas movie," but if you want the darker side of the holidays, it functions very well as a spookhouse film. Much like 'Trick 'r Treat,' it was made as not much more than a creepy, fun ride that highlights a specific holiday. Some of the imagery might be rough for some people, and it's not a movie you're gonna wanna sit and watch on "Family Movie Night." But it's a lot of fun as long as you can treat it as the spookhouse film it's meant to be and have an open mind about it. One could almost think of it as a long, Christmas-themed episode of 'Tales from the Crypt.' 4/5 |
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