Do you want to shove Buddy from Elf‘s candy canes where the northern lights don’t shine? Do you actually give a shit whether George Bailey was born or not in It’s A Wonderful Life? Me too, in my darker festive moments. I actually LOVE Christmas. But it’s expensive, and hard work – with the highlight sticking… Misery loves company so come and join me in BAR HUMBUG Read More
10 Reasons Why…The Ultimate Alt-Xmas Movie Is John Wick
Die Hard a Christmas movie? Maybe, but no one in a vest that grubby would be allowed into my sparkly, well-dressed festive celebrations. Even an A-lister needs to make an effort if they want to get their yule log anywhere near my Christmas stockings. But the only real alternative Christmas film that matters is John… 10 Reasons Why…The Ultimate Alt-Xmas Movie Is John Wick Read More
The Christmas Chronicles 3 stars
Both a Christmas cracker and Christmas crackers, The Christmas Chronicles is a festive must-watch, even if some of it will be through your fingers. But if you’re a True Believer, you’ll already know all that. This Santa is old yet modern, and, dare I say it, hot? Clad in a long burgundy leather coat, with… The Christmas Chronicles Read More
Pop Up Screens Are Back for 2018 With Christmas Movies & SNOW!
Pop up cinema experts Pop Up Screens are back this winter with Cinema In The Snow – a terrific selection of Christmas and wintry-themed movies running from 13-23 December 2018 at East London’s Hackney Showroom. As with last year, they’re turning the location into a Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe winter wonderland, complete with… Pop Up Screens Are Back for 2018 With Christmas Movies & SNOW! Read More
2017 Round-Up: Cinema & The C-Word
Movieland 2017 has given us some terrific performances, amazing stories, breathtaking cinematography and moving scores. You can read about that shit anywhere though. So instead let’s concentrate our cinematic analysis of 2017 on things beginning with the letter C. C Is For Christopher (Plummer) After months of allegations about sexual abuse and harassment carried out… 2017 Round-Up: Cinema & The C-Word Read More
Bad Santa 2 1.5 stars
It’s probably not a great idea to include the line “welcome to the shitstorm” in your sequel as the temptation for disgruntled movie reviewers to start their review with it is just so strong. Luckily I am more creative than that. But unfortunately Bad Santa 2 is really not a great movie. Where the first… Bad Santa 2 Read More
Christmas Classics with London’s Pop Up Screens
*** The article below is about 2017’s line up – check out my piece on Pop Up Screen’s Christmas 2018 schedule *** If you’re in London, between Friday 7 December and Christmas Eve, Pop Up Screens is transforming East London’s Hackney Showroom into a Christmas wonderland. (Luckily they keep the heating on as most cinemas are… Christmas Classics with London’s Pop Up Screens Read More
The Muppet Christmas Carol 4 stars
This Victorian London is delightful, as we really want it to have been – with snowy cobbled streets and a population of muppets, by which I mean funny American muppets not the thousands of muppets I usually find when I visit our capital city in a hurry. The opening credits include From the novel by… The Muppet Christmas Carol Read More
Bad Santa 4 stars
Bad Santa may have come out in 2003, but it has held up remarkably well. In fact the only thing that gives its age away is – like Alien – that Willie Soke can smoke pretty much anywhere. I guess that the traditions of Christmas – the unflattering red and white suit, the annoying children,… Bad Santa Read More
The Man Who Invented Christmas 4 stars
A Christmas Carol is so traditionally festive that we sometimes need reminding that the novel itself created much of that tradition. The Man Who Invented Christmas picks up the story of its author Charles Dickens, in 1843 – three years after the publication of the hugely successful Oliver Twist, sadly quickly followed by several flops…. The Man Who Invented Christmas Read More
Christmas – Invented By Charles Dickens, Patented By Scrooge (Probably)
*** Check out my review of The Man Who Invented Christmas *** Of course it was invented by a man, that’s why women do 80% of the bloody work for it. Just kidding guys! I know it’s tough doing the £5 Secret Santa for the person you’ve sat next to in the office for 10… Christmas – Invented By Charles Dickens, Patented By Scrooge (Probably) Read More
A Bad Moms Christmas 2.5 stars
I adore Christmas, and had no qualms watching this on November 1st, while eating homemade mince pies. I used to manage a retail Christmas department, which meant wearing musical antlers blaring our “Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer” from September to February, and I still adored Christmas. I also make my own mincemeat, bake and ice… A Bad Moms Christmas Read More