‘Tis the season for new Xmas movie classics - by Vijaya Schartz

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The Ancient Enemy series ends with Kicking Bots, during the holiday season

I love this time of year, especially because I can binge-watch Christmas movies on cable. I’m not talking about the black and white classics, like It’s a Wonderful Life, or Miracle on 34^th Street, but about the movies of this century that are becoming the new classics. Not all are noteworthy, but here are two of my favorites. Of course, the stellar cast helps, as these feature some of my favorite actors. You may also notice that they are not movies for children, nor are they tear-jerkers, but drama-comedies for grownups to thoroughly enjoy.

LOVE, ACTUALLY (2003 Romantic Comedy) – Now, my favorite holiday movie of all times. You can’t go wrong with Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Laura Linney, Billy Bob Thornton, to name only a few. The story follows eight different couples embroiled in their own problems during the holidays. From the playboy prime minister (Hugh Grant) to the pathetic lowly employee with a disabled brother, and the blocked writer (Colin Firth) who leaves the country to write and falls in love with a Portuguese immigrant. This holiday tapestry puzzle comes together as we gradually discover what links these characters. At the end, as they are all gathered in the same room, we are overjoyed, and our faith in the holiday spirit is renewed.

THE HOLIDAY (2006 Romantic Comedy) – This movie is rapidly climbing to the top of favorite holiday movies lists. Again, great actors, like Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black (who shines in a serious and touching kind of role). On impulse, two recently single women of vastly different backgrounds swap houses across the pond for the holidays. The movie trailer genius from L.A. ends up in a snowy English countryside cottage, and the British columnist with a heart of gold experiences a Hollywood mansion for the first time. As a result, both their lives are changed forever. A feel good movie with lots of holiday cheer.

Here you have them, my favorite holiday movies. What are yours?

In the meantime, you can read my books. Which are not holiday related, but full of action, love, good and evil, angels and villains, and other historical or futuristic characters. Happy Reading!

Vijaya Schartz

Romance with a Kick

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

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How movies have changed—or is it just me? Tricia McGill

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I watched a movie recently that brought back a load of memories. Its title is, ‘Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool’ and came as a complete surprise to me. I had no idea what it was about, or who starred in it until I began to watch it. Annette Bening portrayed Gloria Grahame in the final stages of her life.  Her lover Peter Turner was 26 when she met him and she was already in her 50s, had four children and four husbands behind her. This movie was adapted from Peter’s memoirs and despite its gloominess and sadness at the end, I found it an enchanting story. Their love was so poignant and convincing, and apparently caused quite a stir. Jamie Bell, who stole many hearts as Billy Elliot, plays Peter. Coincidentally Julie Walters who played his dance teacher in that movie plays his mother in this one and for me stole every scene she appeared in.

This movie took me off on another jaunt down memory lane. Oklahoma was my favourite that Gloria appeared in. I recall her as the blonde with the unusual pout. My whole family were avid movie goers as well as avid readers and one or the other of them was always off to the ‘pictures’ as we called the cinema. I recall my two oldest sisters going off to see Fanny by Gaslight. I also recall they considered me too young and innocent to see what they thought a ‘scandalous’ film. During my teens one sister, who was still at home after the others had married, and I often went to the cinema two or three times a week, paying one shilling and nine pence for a seat. 

Some of the movies we saw stand out in my mind forever, and some were considered Greats. Strangers on a Train springs to mind, simply because it starred Farley Granger, who I had a crush on at the time. Many younger people reading this have likely never heard of him. But I guarantee you know of greats like James Dean, John Wayne, Marlon Brando, James Stewart, Clark Gable, Doris Day, Janet Leigh, Elizabeth Taylor, to mention a few—my list could go on and on. One of my favourite actresses was Susan Hayward. We never hear much of her now, but I will never forget With a Song in my Heart.

Do a search for 1950s movies and you will see the list is endless and full of greats. I remember my sister and I queuing in the rain to see Bing Crosby in The Bells of St. Mary’s which coincidentally I watched only recently on TV masterpieces. And let’s not forget Disney’s early greats like Bambi and Dumbo. Often there would be ‘standing room only’ at the cinema, which meant we would stand along the sidewall until somebody vacated a seat. Oft times my sister and I would not end up sitting side by side. In those days, there would be no long breaks between programmes and some folk would stay to see a movie through again, which often meant a long stand on the side aisle. Musicals were always my favourite. Movies like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, High Society, Guys and Dolls, The King and I.

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/06/the-100-best-films-of-the-1950s.html

Getting back to my original question, have movies changed. Of course they have. We’ve gone from love scenes that invariably ended with a fade-out after the first kiss, to show it all sex scenes that in my honest opinion have gone too far. I much prefer to use my imagination. There is so much technology used nowadays that it is often mind-boggling. Don’t get me wrong, I love it and if I was born just 20 years ago that’s the industry I would choose. I am full of admiration for the creators of movies like Guardians of the Galaxy and its successor Guardians Vol 2, both currently my favourites. Not only is the technical stuff amazing, but I just love the little critters who make the movie so amusing and likeable. 

Being a Sci-Fi fan, I am in awe of the sheer splendour at how the producers make it all come to life on the screen. What doesn’t please me about modern movies are the car crashes and/or shoot ups that often use up the first 30 minutes or so of the movie, and then often 80 per cent of the entire film.

That’s me and my opinion. I know that many of my friends are of the same mind. You can’t understand what half the actors are saying and they should take a lesson from actors like Richard Burton who had perfect diction and made your toes curl with his magnificent voice. And likewise, Sir Laurence Olivier. And don’t get me started on the sound tracks—why are they so loud, half the time drowning out the voices of the actors? 

Ah well, as they say, “To Each His Own”. Come to think on it, wasn’t that an old black and white movie with Olivia de Havilland and John Lund?

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Seasonal Un-Yummies

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The holidays are here. Wonderful gifts, great get togethers, and delicious foods.

Wait, hold it. Foods for the season need to be ranked. More precisely, some of them are rank.

Lets mull over a couple discussion options, or targets, as it were...with some mulled wine at hand. Ah, there we go.

It is almost silly to mention the first item, Yorkshire pudding, because it is nothing like a pudding. Nor is it a food. Ok, technically it is edible. Just kidding, it is impossible to put that stuff in your mouth and then smile.

Don’t worry, there is a simple solution to this. If you are at a table and find Yorkshire pudding in front of you follow these three easy steps. First, pull out your time machine and go back about two hour. Second, take the Yorkshire pudding ingredients and add sugar, and cherry pie filling, combine, and bake. Third, humbly accept the “thank yous’ from everyone at the table two hours later for the delicious donuts.

Now, Perhaps a game of deck shuffleboard would be the appropriate venue to talk about fruitcake. Don’t have all the items needed for a game. No problem. We simply have to plug in our table saw, throw on some safety goggles and slice our discs out of the fruitcake. Note: have an extra blade on hand if you are planning to cut out more then four.

First you have to make sure the fruitcake is fresh enough. The rule of thumb is, if its less than eight years old it's certainly in the prime of its life.

Ok, maybe fruitcake has gotten a bad rap over the years. Wait a minute. No it hasn’t. Just ask, well, anyone.

Disposal of above is a tricky business. Perhaps ones first instinct is to to drop it in the compost bin. Of course, if you drop it and you live in an apartment it will likely end up in the apartment below. Even worse, it might land on the dinner table and someone might be tempted. Composting is also an issue since the recycle depot will probably be obsolete before the fruitcake starts to decompose. There is always the nuclear option. Often that is a figure of speech.

Ironically...