3/5
Rad Santa.
115 Mins. Starring: Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Judah Lewis, Darby Camp, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Jahzir Bruno, Patrick Gallagher, Julian Dennison, Darlene Love & Tyrese Gibson. Director: Chris Columbus.
It's beginning to look like 'tis the season for Christmas movies...and Netflix has some crackers. Like the 'Jingle Jangle' of Forest Whitaker's 'Christmas Journey', or even Dolly Parton's, 'Christmas On The Square', straight out of a yuletide Nashville. Just like the 'Holiday Makeover' series with Mr. Christmas in season, Netflix keep wrapping presents for our tree this time of chill. And boy do we need this gift like the presence of our parents. In this 2020, quarantined from COVID-19 and the people we hold dear. Socially distanced and isolated. Just a Zoom away, but more than an arms length. Just ask this writer further East in Japan a year removed from the last time he was flying home for Christmas and the most important thing this time of year is for...family. Watching Christmas movies in between the crown of the Queen's Christmas speech and the 'Toy Story' tradition that comes alive like this days magic. 'Home Alone', 'Home Alone 2: Lost In New York' (skip out for some Egg Nog when you see Trump), basically anything produced by John Hughes. 'Uncle Buck'...don't tell me that this family favourite and girlfriend litmus test everytime I meet someone new isn't a Christmas movie, because like 'Die Hard' I won't yippee ki yay hear it. It doesn't feel like Christmas without it. Just a mess like this years Rockerfella tree ("oh s###mas tree, oh s###mas tree. How the hell do you call those branches?") Like an 'Elf' Easter Egg we need this December 25th for everybody to hear like Christmas cheer. Christmas was made for Christmas movies with the family and falling asleep with that cracking hat still on. But this year it's going to be so much harder. If you're already quarantined together then rock around the Christmas tree like a MJ cut out with Culkin...but if you're not, spare a thought for those who can't see their relatives, or have even already lost one for their first Christmas apart. Stay safe and as distanced as you can. Now's not the time to bring more to their front door then good tidings. We already have to write 2020 off. There's always next year. Especially if we're careful in this one.
Skype synched with my parents, this fall we brought the festive feeling back early by watching the sequel to 'The Christmas Chronicles' together via video chat. Their box in the corner beaming with fond familiar smiles at the sugary sentiment of this sweet escape after a cruel calendar. Their presence on screen like in spirit, their presents shipped by airmail to this cast away by my side. It was all we could do...but oh how it was beautiful. I recommend you do the same. Especially after this year. Especially after the last one were we watched 2018's 'The Christmas Chronicles' together for the first time like 'A Very Murray Christmas' not knowing yet about the unhappy New Year to come. Nostalgia nodding to Kurt Russell's grubby but grand St. Nick, Santa Claus, Father Christmas. Whatever you want to call him. Not a Billy Bob Thornton 'Bad Santa', but a Rad Santa. Rocking around the prison cell with a Soprano from the Bosses E Street like a 'Letter To You', singing and dancing. Keeping that big beard and marvellous moustache from his forum of a great Western big-three in Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful 8', the horror of the genre in 'Bone Tomahawk' and of course the classic 'Tombstone' that brought hell and Val Kilmer's Doc Holiday with him for all your Huckleberry's. Once upon a time...in a festive Hollywood, Kurt Russell is your famous Father Christmas in a malls worth of them. With all due respect to Tim Allen, this is a household name home improvement. The reason Russell (the King of 'The Thing', 'Big Trouble In Little China' and 'Escape From New York' cult, comic 80's sci-fi who has even played Elvis) is doing this for a bigger reason than having a claus in his contract. He just wants even his big kids like Wyatt to see him play somone he's dressed up as for years ever since standing in for the real deal like someone pulled the beard off a throne of lies. Kurt is the truth and as his Chronicles of the North Pole continue in Part Two (someone should tell Dylan it only took him a couple of years to make his second volume), he shows he's still the star on the top of this tree.
Cameos don't come more classic or black belt buckle fitting than what warmed us by the fire to end the last movie. We saw those iconic Mrs Claus boots walk up and we just knew who would play Santa baby's wife when she leant down to kiss like mistletoe. The fans went 'Overboard'. 'The First Wives Club's' very own Goldie Hawn. The ultimate power couple as the ultimate power couple in pole position in a matrimony of Hollywood's longest marriage. One that's given us so many golden era great movies and the incredible Kate Hudson who made it on her own. Snatching Hawn for this one was a power play and a master move and with even more screen time in the sequel she shows she's the star of the show too like Mrs. Claus finally getting her due and name in candy cane bright lights. If Russell is the heart of this movie, then she's its sweet soul...to have and to hold. And that's not it. As this movie brings back the family who now feel so familiar with the game moxie of Darby Camp and the young stud Judah Lewis. Coming of age, but in this movie by a pool in Cancun, Mexico, a million miles away from the frost of the North Pole is doing his best Doug from 'The Hangover'. No matter, introducing Jahzir Bruno. A knockout child star, stealing young hearts like a young Cupid and being Lion in 'The Wizard Of Oz' brave with a nerf gun. He plays the son of 'Transformers' mega movie and R&B superstar Tyrese Gibson. Who with genuine warmth and hallmark heart gives open invitation to another Christmas card like his 'Black Nativity' with the jangle of Forest Whitaker and a 'Fast and the Furious' reunion with Russell, clutching at a sleigh that looks like it runs on Nitrus. Although these two never meet here on screen. You could have got a classic car pun, drifting that Rudolph injected carriage across the snow...but that's nobodies business. A gentle Gibson romances 'Nashville' star Kimberley Williams-Paisley's perfect mother. Whilst the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's very own Darlene Love showstops an airport performance with a flipping Kurt and 'Captain Marvel' and 'Night At The Museum' Atilla The Hun star Patrick Gallagher as his own security guard check in that even grounds the bars of the last tinsel prison break...down. But it's 'Hunt For The Wilderpeople', 'Deadpool 2' and forthcoming 'Godzilla vs Kong' star Julian Dennison who steals the show yet again. The Kiwi chirps quips as a house elf who's sick of wrapping presents, instead wanting to live his life as a cotton-headed ninny muggins. 'Home Alone', 'Harry Potter' and 'Miss Doubtfire' director Chris Columbus may have not discovered America, but he sure knows how to make the great American holiday movie for under your tree. Last Christmas may have been better, but this chronicle still has the ability to spread festive cheer even in a year of drear. Joy for this joyeux noel. This one is filled with more Christmas spirit than you could throw a CGI elf at. It's time to still believe in the magic. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'The Christmas Chronicles', 'Overboard', 'Elf'.
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