Rankin/Bass 5: The Little Drummer Boy

December 10, 2015 | Rachel's Reviews

Oddly enough there aren’t very many holiday specials or films for that matter that focus on Jesus Christ- the reason for the season! And that is truly one thing that stands out about the Rankin/Bass film The Little Drummer Boy.

Before reviewing this film I must own The Little Drummer Boy is not a carol I particularly enjoy. It’s nice sung by a choir but I guess I prefer the Christmas songs that I can sing easily by myself and ‘rump a pum pum’ doesn’t work with only one!

That said, the Little Drummer Boy is about a boy named Aaron who has a magic drum that charms his friends a donkey, sheep and camel. The animation is not very fluid in this movie but I oddly got used to it after a while.

Life seems good for him but one night his family is killed and his home is burned to the ground by roughians. That’s right. They don’t mess around in this film! It’s pretty dark to begin with.

Then a man named Ben Haramad abducts Aaron and forces him to join his circus of nitwits. Aaron becomes very bitter towards the people watching him in the circus and to Ben. At one point Ben paints a smile over Ben’s face because he refuses to smile for the crowds. It looks kind of like the Joker.

Aaron meets a group of Wise Men from East heading towards a new born King. Aaron escapes but as they head to Bethlehem Aaron’s sheep is injured and near death.

Aaron presents his sheep before the Christ-child and plays his drum as his gift. The sheep is healed and Aaron feels joy. It’s really quite a lovely moment.

I was ready to give this one a pass at first- especially when it got so grim and sad but by the end it had won me over. I liked seeing the character arc of Aaron and the whole sequence at the nativity was lovely.

The other standouts are a great voicecast with Greer Garson, Teddy Eccles, Jose Ferrer, Paul Frees, and June Foray

The music is also really special by Rankin/Bass regulars Maury Laws and Jules Bass. I particularly loved the Vienna Boys Choir throughout which fit for a story about a little boy.

Of course we get our title song and I think it was all handled beautifully.

So The Little Drummer is definitely a film worth a watch. It’s only 25 minutes (made in 1968) so what have you go to lose!

In the Heart of the Sea Review

December 9, 2015 | Rachel's Reviews

Real quick wanted to post my youtube review of Ron Howard’s new film In the Heart of the Sea. It’s kind of a Moby Dick origin stor and that could have been cool.

Needless to say, I didn’t really care for the film.

Overall Grade- D

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Review and Discussion

December 8, 2015December 8, 2015 | Rachel's Reviews

I finally can share with you guys our discussion on Return of the Jedi. Abby, Jeremy and I recorded it on Sunday but there was some kind of glitch with youtube where all the Live Google Hangouts were stuck in processing limbo. People could watch the video but I couldn’t really share them and they didn’t appear on my channel or video feed. I also couldn’t put a thumbnail photo on or promote it in a serious way.

This was very concerning to me as it was a great discussion between the three of us and not always easy to duplicate that and I have no other copy of the broadcast because it goes from the live feed straight to youtube.

Anyway, after waiting nearly 3 days the video is up and I am proud of how this one turned out.

Return of the Jedi is a very different entry into the Star Wars films. It feels more like the serials that first inspired Lucas, or at least the beginning does. The first 40 minutes are focused on rescuing Han from the carbonite at Jabba the Hutt’s palace. This scene involves much action from all the key players except Vader and 2 monsters, the Rancor and Sarlac. For me this section is fun but it goes on a little bit too long. I really like when we see R2D2 serving drinks and Han and Luke fighting everyone and almost dying. That’s great but some of the violence with the slave Oola getting killed, Leia’s gold bikini, and Boba Fett dying the way he does I am not as big a fan of. It feels more like the Mummy movies with Brendan Fraser than Star Wars to me.

Once they are freed from Jabba the movie flips back and forth between 3 storylines- all of which I liked. You have 1. Luke confronting the Emperor and Vader. 2. Lando and the rebels attacking the Death Star. 3. Han, Leia, Chewie, R2D2 and C3PO on Endor with the Ewoks deactivating the Death Star’s shield.

I really like the fact that all of the characters get their moments including Lando who is now fully redeemed from actions in Empire. I also don’t mind the Ewoks and feel they are used just enough.

However, my favorite is the interactions between Vader, Luke and the Emperor. Luke is so convinced there is good in his father and I think that is part of what makes him such a likable character. He’s not only the hero but he believes in people. He see’s the good in villain. That’s very admirable. But these scenes are also great because of the interplay between the Emperor and Luke. He knows just how to stoke Luke into defending himself but then manipulates that into anger and hate. Luke is constantly having to pull himself back and then become passionate again. It’s a very fine line he walks.

Eventually when he will not give into the dark side (I love when he says Never!) the Emperor almost kills him but Vader steps in to save his son. What a great moment!

Return of the Jedi is a very satisfying end to the original trilogy. There are parts I would trim from the beginning but all in all I think it’s a great film.

Thanks so much to Abby and Jeremy for their help on this series. I had such a great time talking Star Wars with them and can’t wait for Force Awakens! 9 days till I see it!!!

Overall Grade for Return of the Jedi- A

Rankin/Bass 4: Frosty the Snowman

December 8, 2015December 8, 2015 | Rachel's Reviews

Some movies from your childhood when visited as an adult hold up (Winnie the Pooh for example) and others not so much. I hate to say it but I think Rankin/Bass Frosty the Snowman is the latter. It’s another one of the specials that as an adult feels strange and is really designed for very small children- and even for them there might be stuff that is upsetting for them. Don’t hate me but I didn’t really like it…

Frosty the Snowman was made in 1969 for CBS and it was the first time Rankin/Bass did a traditional cel animation. To the team’s credit the animation looks fine. It’s bright and colorful and doesn’t look terribly dated. It kind of reminds you of something you’d see on a Saturday morning television in the 80s.

That said I think Frosty looks more like a marshmallow than a snowman. For Frosty I wonder if stop motion would have looked better like the snowman in Elf.

But anyway the story is about a group of kids that find the discarded hat of a magician named Professor Hinkle. They decide to build a snowman and little Karen decides to call it Frosty. Professor Hinkle has a rabbit named Hocus Pocus who tries to get the hat but it is placed on the snowman and the magic makes Frosty alive.

I didn’t really like Professor Hinkle or Hocus Pocus. It was strange the way they kept bothering these little kids and it just wasn’t funny and was a little mean to me. Like little Karen is freezing and a fire is lit and he blows it out for no real reason. Frosty has the hat not Karen and Frosty obviously isn’t by the fire.

And then it gets really weird with the temperature suddenly warming up and so Frosty decides to take a refrigeration unit on a train to the North Pole, which is evidently far away because it costs $3000 to go there. The strange part is Karen goes with them as kind of a lark, which I found odd. This is evidently very far away to cost $3000, not just a day trip.

But I know I am over thinking it but Karen gets sick from the cold refrigeration car so they abandon the train and Professor Hinkle is fast on their tails. He ends up trapping Karen and Frosty in (Spoiler alert!) a greenhouse and Frosty becomes a puddle on the ground. It’s really quite a strange and upsetting story when you think of the very small children it is aimed at. Karen almost dies, Frosty is gone but at least Hinkle gives Santa the hat back after he is threatened with no more presents for the rest of his life. It’s just odd story.

The voice cast is great with Jimmy Durante as the narrator, Jackie Vernon as Frosty, June Foray as Karen, and Billy De Wolfe as Professor Hinkle.

The Frosty song is featured of course and a few other songs but nothing stands out too much.

Frosty the Snowman is probably a fine diversion for small kids and at 24 minutes it’s fine for watching with the fam at Christmas but over all I didn’t really care for it. It’s just so odd and I kind of wish it wasn’t so gloomy and morose in feel, but perhaps that’s just me.

What about you? Is Frosty the Snowman a special part of your holiday viewings? Do you love it? Have you seen it in a while? Let me know in the comments.

Talking Holiday Films

December 7, 2015December 8, 2015 | Rachel's Reviews

My friend Joe and I got together and talked about our favorite holiday films. It’s more of a podcast format but I think you will really enjoy it.

My favorites I mentioned

6. Arthur Christmas (got to do a longer review of that film one of these days)

5. Home Alone- My longer review go here

4. White Christmas-

3 A Christmas Story (need to do a longer review of this as well)

2. Christmas Carol 1951- My longer review go here

1.It’s a Wonderful Life- My longer review go here

I forgot to mention it on the podcast (so many great holiday films!) but I posted a review today on my channel of Nightmare Before Christmas.

Honorable Mentions I talk about on the broadcast

Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, Muppets Christmas Carol, Die Hard and Mickey’s Christmas Carol

Joe has some great choices on his list including Polar Express and Charlie Brown Christmas Special..

Christmas Card 2015

December 6, 2015 | Rachel's Reviews

I just wanted to share with you guys my Christmas card for 2015. I took some inspiration from Inside Out in this year’s design. I hope that you guys have a joyous holiday season whatever you celebrate. Mostly I hope that you have meaningful experiences and feel loved. Thanks for making 2015 great and for talking about all these silly movies with me. It’s been awesome. On to 2016!

Brooklyn Movie Review

December 5, 2015January 18, 2016 | Rachel's Reviews

Got the chance to see the movie Brooklyn tonight and it is a very sweet, lovely movie that I highly recommend each of you check out. In a way it kind of reminded me of Boyhood in the way both films are about the life of a character. There is no strange plot or huge climax. It’s just about a person and the choices they have to make. I love movies like that.

If you are an Oscar watcher put Saoirse Ronan as a near lock for a best actress nom and possibly Nick Hornby for adapted screenplay. Ronan plays Ellis Lacey, a young girl from Ireland in 1952 with no prospects either relationship or career-wise. Her sister see’s this and figures out a way for Ellis to go to America and work there.

The beginning of the film we get the voyage over to America where Ellis gets seasick and gets some advice from her bunkmate on the ship. Then she struggles with homesickness and fitting into this strange place called America. Luckily she is quickly surrounded by lots of supporting characters that all felt pretty well-rounded and not just the stock jerk, slut, loud-mouthed caricatures you often get in these types of movies.

First, there are all the girls at the boarding house where Ellis lives.

I particularly liked all the scenes at the dinner table where they gossip, and are caddy in rather likable ways. It felt like real girls who would actually talk that way. They are jealous and funny and sweet all at the same time. They even teach Ellis how to eat spaghetti before she meets Tony’s family. After being delightful in Paddington, Julie Walters is great as Mrs Kehoe who runs the boarding house and scolds the girls for their unholy chatter at the dinner table.

I also loved Jim Broadbent as Father Flood, a priest who takes responsibility for Ellis, makes sure she isn’t homesick, and gets her started in school.

Jessica Pare is also in the film from Mad Men as Ellis’ manager at a department store. She’s great. The whole cast is great.

All of this is completely lovely but then it is made even more so when she meets a young Italian man named Tony played by Emory Cohen. He reminded me of a young Marlon Brando and I thought him and Ronan had terrific chemistry. This is helped by Nick Hornby’s script- an author who is good at writing romantic dialogue in films such as Fever Pitch and About a Boy.

I was impressed with how simple it was. They are just talking a lot of the time, meeting Tony’s loud Italian family, talking about his love for the Dodgers, drinking coffee etc. It feels like a real courtship of the 1950s.

Then something happens back home that forces Ellis to go back to Ireland. There she feels like home and is tempted by Domhall Gleeson’s’ Jim and her Mother to stay. She must decide where home is and where her loyalty lies.

I like that Jim and Ireland isn’t a bad choice. He’s a good guy and she’d probably have a good life there but it isn’t the chemistry she has with Tony. This leads to a tension of what ‘right’ choice is she going to make. Most of the time in these films it is so obvious who she is going to pick but not here.

Expect to see Brooklyn on your costume and hair/makeup ballots come Oscar time. Everything in this movie looks perfect. It’s all shot through cepia tones and you’d think Brooklyn and Ireland are still in 1952 for how real it looks. Ellis Island and the boat and everything looks so great. I loved all of Ellis’ 1950’s dresses and her ‘bathing costume’.

The music is also completely lovely by Michael Brook. There’s jazzy elements in New York sections and Irish inspired sections throughout. I’m not sure what the song is that a man at a homeless shelter sings but it is beautiful. This is a soundtrack and score I would consider purchasing I liked it so much.

Movies like Brooklyn are also a good reminder of the great immigrant heritage our country is founded upon. I won’t get too political but my best friend is the daughter of immigrants to this country and my brother is married to a woman with a greencard so it feels close to home. Immigrants make our country better. They’ve proven it time and time again.

So there you go. If you like movies about nice people living their lives then you will like Brooklyn. Take a break from the billion stupid action movies and spy movies and watch something sweet and simple.

It does have a few swears, sensuality and some seasickness on the boat is pretty gross.

Overall Grade A

My youtube review

Rankin/Bass 3: The First Christmas Snow

December 4, 2015 | Rachel's Reviews

The next entry I’m looking at in my Rankin/Bass month is the 22 minute program The First Christmas: The First Christmas Snow. The rather ungainly title refers to a nativity play put on but really the The First Christmas Snow is more the plot of the special.

The First Christmas Snow unfortunately is one of the weaker entries I’ve seen but that’s not to say it doesn’t have some positive elements. It’s just very syrupy and preachy. More along the lines of something you’d watch as a kid in Sunday School to teach a principle than a real piece of cinema.

It tells the tale of a little blind boy named Lucas who is lost in a storm watching over his sheep and some nuns including Sister Theresa take him in and care for him. Theresa is voiced by Angela Lansbury and I could listen to her all day. Basically little Lucas gets to know the nuns and starts to feel at home with his sheep at the monastery.

But mean old Father Thomas (Cyril Ritchard) doesn’t think it is the right place for a little boy and insists he be taken to the orphanage. But Lucas and his friend Louisa pray for a miracle and they get what they ask for and more. Lucas is also trying to thwart off pranksters who lose his sheep and also trying to find the perfect gift for Sister Theresa.

there’s a Christmas pageant where Lucas and Louisa are our angels (did any of you doubt that would be the case?)

The thing that makes this bit watchable and sweet in its own way is the songs. Angela Lansbury sounds completely lovely singing White Christmas, Christmas Snow is Magic and Save a Little Christmas.

The stop motion is fine but not the best I’ve seen from Rankin/Bass and it’s just so syrupy it is hard to recommend- and that’s coming from an adamant apologist for many Christian films.

If you need to have a sub for Sunday School and want to teach about faith and miracles it would be a fine choice but I can still think of better. Honestly any of the veggietales shorts would be better with a similar message.

So this will definitely be near the bottom of my Rankin/Bass rankings if I do one but luckily it is only 22 minutes and I can stand just about anything for that long.

Rankin/Bass 2: Santa Claus is Comin to Town

December 4, 2015 | Rachel's Reviews

Let’s talk about our first holiday short in Rankin/Bass month (I’ll try to mix up the holiday and non-holiday). We are talking about Santa Claus is Coming to Town. I have to say from the start this is not one I remember watching as a kid. I remember Rudolph but not this one for some reason. I’m not going to say this was my first watch-through but if I have seen it was a long time ago.

With that said, I will say- this movie is weird. It’s just the oddest assortment of strange story, characters, animation, and everything else. I don’t think that is a bad thing per say but it’s just a bit hard to write about. It’s really a very befuddling movie!

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town aired on ABC in 1970 and it is basically a Santa Claus origin story. Our narrator is SD Kluger (SD for Special Delivery) voiced by Fred Astaire who isn’t given as much to do as you might think.

Basically there is a villain named Burgermeister Meisterburger (a great name!) who hates everything. One morning a baby is dropped on his doorstep and he sends it away to the ‘orphan asylum’ and then the animals rescue the baby from him and the Winter Warlock and then take him to stay with the Kringle Family who make toys. Who knew St. Nick had such grim beginnings!

But luckily the Kringles are sweet and lovely people and Kris grows up and wants to restore the Kringle family as the official toymakers of the King (who knew the king needed such a thing?). So he sets out to make and deliver toys.

Unfortunately Burgermeister has outlawed all toys and basically any other kind of fun. Everything in Sombertown (the name of Burgermeister’s kingdom) is dark and gray and sad. He not only bans toys but declares they are ‘illegal, immoral and unlawful and that anyone who has a toy will be placed in a dungeon!’. These must have been quite the toys!

So that’s sort of the set-up and I won’t give any more away but it involves the magic of the Winter Warlock and Kris Kringle’s attempts to circumvent Burgermeister’s crazy laws. In the course of the story you find out origins for Santa’s name, his relationship and marriage to Mrs Claus, presents under the tree, Christmas trees, going down chimneys, December 24th for presents, flying reindeer etc.

I could see someone really roasting this movie. It’s just so nutty but I enjoyed watching it. It’s only an hour so it didn’t wear out its welcome and did surprise me with the strange choices. The ending is very odd in that Santa doesn’t really save the people from Burgermeister. His family rules for generation until the townsfolk come to their senses. That’s more than a little disturbing if you really think about it…

The voicework by Fred Astaire, Mickey Rooney, Keenan Wynn and Paul Frees is all fine and fun to hear but nothing too special.

The music is a bit of a letdown with nothing that stood out for me. Songs like ‘No More Toymakers to the King’ and ‘First Toymakers to the King’ weren’t anything special and ‘If You Sit on My Lap Today’ made me a little uncomfortable. It’s just odd for Santa to be asking kids to ‘be prepared to pay’ for sitting on his lap.

So overall it is an odd trippy little film but I enjoyed watching it. Have any of you seen Santa Claus is Coming to Town? Have you watched it recently? Let me know what you think. Thanks!