If there is one thing that can be said for Atom Egoyan’s movies of late, it is that he has not surrendered the immersive visual or narrative style that made his name with movies like Exotica (1994) and The Sweet Hereafter (1997). His latest film, The Captive, starring Ryan Continue Reading
On the 10th day of Christmas … I listened to Idina Menzel’s Holiday Wishes
There’s no doubting the sheer awe-inspiring talent of the voice of Frozen, Tony Award-winning Broadway veteran Idina Menzel. She has a voice straight from the gods, one that combines fearsome power and delicate beauty, the sort of stage presence money cannot buy, and the kind of vibrant personality that has Continue Reading
“What does it all mean?” The trailer for Sundance documentary The Visit
SNAPSHOT An alien encounter. A hypothetical visitor arrives from Outer Space. The authorities are immediately alerted – the military, defence and communication advisors, and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. How to deal with this unprecedented event? How to reassure Earth’s inhabitants, who are prone to panic, Continue Reading
On the 9th day of Christmas … I read Everything I Need to Know About Christmas I Learned From a Little Golden Book
If there is one thing I learnt very early on in life, it’s that Little Golden Books have a lot to teach a person. It doesn’t matter what the circumstance may be, the simple life lessons of these gloriously-drawn, perfectly-worded books provide all the instructions you need to make Continue Reading
Weekend festive pop art: Santa Claus is coming to a movie poster you love!
Ever get the feeling that Santa Claus is EVERYWHERE? It’s a sensation not helped by songs like “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, which incidentally is the most played Christmas song of the past 100 years, which has lyrics like: “He sees you when you’re sleeping He knows when Continue Reading
On the 8th Day of Christmas … I watched the movie A Merry Friggin’ Christmas
We love our families. We hate our families. It’s a war of competing, diametrically-opposed emotions for most families each Christmas who, though they long for tree-decorating, eggnog-sipping harmony, usually end up with the festive version of War of the Roses. Perhaps that it is a little extreme, but the Continue Reading
Squeeze the cheese and poke the pony: Tonight Show Random Phrase Carols
It’s true. Even those of us among the Christmas junkie tribe – you know who you are and saying “Bah Humbug!” in that desultory fashion won’t disguise the fact for a second -will admit to getting a teensy-weensy itty-bitty little bit tired of singing the same old lyrics to Continue Reading
On the 7th day of Christmas … I watched classic Frasier episode “High Holidays”
Life isn’t easy if you’re Frasier or Niles Crane. Well, it’s not easy in a self-perceived sense anyway. Armed with firm ideas on what constitutes a life well-lived – the right seats at the opera/favourite restaurant/major event where everyone will see you, the best food and wine, an apartment Continue Reading
Who ya gonna call at the North Pole? Final trailer for Doctor Who Christmas special “Last Christmas”
“C’mon it’s Christmas! At the North Pole! Who ya gonna call?” I am guessing not the Ghostbusters team, despite the insistent bouncy hum off the iconic theme song in my head, but rather one Santa Claus, played with swagger and brio and just the right amount of Santa-ness – Continue Reading
On the 6th day of Christmas … I read the holiday romance collection Let It Snow
It has oft been said, most notably by songwriters Edward Pola and George Wylie in 1963, that Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year.” In its most romantic sense that’s probably true – how can you not be beguiled and cheered by chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Continue Reading