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
Christmas 2014
On the 5th day of Christmas … I watched the indie movie Happy Christmas
The confounding of expectations, at a time of the year when they are at their zenith, is at the heart of Joe Swanberg’s Sundance-screened Happy Christmas, the follow-up to last year’s well-received Drinking Buddies, his most accessible and successful film to date. The film’s title is an ironic one, of course, given Continue Reading
On the 4th day of Christmas … I listened to Seth MacFarlane’s Holiday For Swing
Seth MacFarlane is a delightful study in contrasts. Most well-known for his raunchy, highly intelligent comedies like the animation series The Family Guy and the Ted movies – Ted 2 is due for release in June 2015 – he is also a consummate showman, with a particular love for Continue Reading
On the 3rd day of Christmas 2014 … I read “A Very Klingon Christmas” by Paul Ruditis / Patrick Faricy
It’s not often that you pick up a Christmas book and find every last one of your assumptions about this most sacred of Christian holidays gleefully shattered into a million small and pointy, could-be-weaponised pieces. But that’s what happened when I picked up a copy of A Very Klingon Continue Reading
On the 2nd day of Christmas … I watched “Its Beginning to Stink a Lot Like Christmas” (The New Adventures of Old Christine)
Poor Christine “Old Christine” Campbell. Try as she might, and frankly she really doesn’t try all that hard – particularly not if there’s wine or sex with the Christmas tree guy to be had instead – she can’t actually manage to actually lead the sort of life she thinks Continue Reading
On the 1st day of Christmas 2014 … I aurally orbited Pomplamoose’s Christmas in Space EP
Regardless of the time of year, Pomplamoose (real life couple Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn) are a lot of fun. Their music, which is released to fans via an innovative patronage system called Patreon, merrily skips from genre to genre, drawing in jazz, ’80s synth pop, big band sounds to Continue Reading
Festive FUNX3: Jingle Bell Rocks! documentary, Kristen Bell’s “Text Me Merry Christmas” and Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever
I am a Christmas music junkie. Hell I am a Christmas junkie full stop. But one of the things I love most about the season, and which I appreciate many other people hate (especially those in retail who are listening to festive tunes from October onwards), are the Christmas Continue Reading
Love [not as Christmas-y or romantic as you think] Actually
I love Christmas. And I love romantic comedies. So yes, I, along with many a fellow romantic-minded person, love Richard Curtis’ festive rom-com Love Actually, required viewing for anyone who wants to feel warm and fuzzy and glowingly positive about life at Christmas, and not just from one too many eggnogs. Continue Reading
Deck the halls with rabid monsters: Doctor Who Christmas special teaser trailer
Ah Christmas. Chestnuts roasting by an open fire … Jack Frost nipping at your toes … Yuletide carols being sung by a choir … and Alien-esque monsters chasing you around the North Pole … wait, WHAT THE WHAT THE?! Well it is a Doctor Who Christmas special after all and Continue Reading