Holiday season is upon us and that means a new playlist of good and not so good Christmas movies. I’ll document some highlights here. This will be a post in progress until Christmas.
| 22 November | Falling for Christmas (2022) | ** |
| 24 November | Christmas with you (2022) | *** |
| 25 November | Return to Christmas Creek (2018) | ** |
| 25 November | The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) | **** |
| 26 November | 12 Gifts of Christmas (2015) | ** |
| 27 November | Christmas Made to Order (2018) | * |
In
The New York Times today:
Before Elon Musk bought Twitter, slurs against Black Americans showed up on the social media service an average of 1,282 times a day. After the billionaire became Twitter’s owner, they jumped to 3,876 times a day.
Slurs against gay men appeared on Twitter 2,506 times a day on average before Mr. Musk took over. Afterward, their use rose to 3,964 times a day.
And antisemitic posts referring to Jews or Judaism soared more than 61 percent in the two weeks after Mr. Musk acquired the site.
This is worrying and unacceptable. What can we do? WACC Europe actually created a guide on How to address hate online.
In
A movie can have the right message but deliver it in a way that just doesn’t work and feels kind of awkward. 12 gifts of Christmas (2015) is that kind of movie. The script includes nuggets that are just great, but there are also numerous cringeworthy scenes, that you want to look away.
The premise is good, the execution lacking. It’s not clear whether it is the script, direction or acting. Maybe a mix of all three, but the movie never flies. One problem is also how it blurs the lines between employee and love interest.
One good question the movie raised: how do you select the perfect Christmas gift?
If the gift is timeless, bonus points might be awarded
“I just want the whole family to be together for Christmas” is the message of this film.
In
A week in Krakow earlier this month was a great opportunity to get to know this beautiful city better. I was there to prepare the upcoming LWF Assembly and attend the meeting of the LWF’s Executive Committee.
This was a chance to see a beautiful city in all kinds of weather. The next visit will likely be in the winter and I’m looking forward to see wintery Krakow.
In
In his childhood, Peter ‘Star-Lord’ Quill was inspired by Kevin Bacon (or more precisely his films). Later, he went on to tell his friends numerous stories about Bacon, including the one where he saves a whole town by dancing.
When his friends want to do something nice for Peter, they decide to celebrate Christmas and bring him Kevin Bacon as a Christmas gift. Chaos and kindness follow.
This is a beautiful short movie, in the form of a television special, about reconnecting with youth and giving somebody the gift of Christmas. It also raises a couple of question like how would you explain Christmas to an alien. Last, but not least, it reminds us of a core message: human beings are not for sale.
This is a good holiday special. Don’t miss it.
In
Return to Christmas Creek (2018) tells the story of a young app developer who has made a tradition of spending Christmas in the sun, far away from family. The reason: a difficult family event that took place at Christmas. Noticing a pattern?
After breaking up with her boyfriend, she decides to return to her hometown, aptly named Christmas Creek, and the lodge managed by her grandfather and later by her father and uncle.
“I am going back to my roots,” she says and that proves to be a wise move. She meets childhood friends (and flames) and through those encounters is able to reconnect with herself and with Christmas. The family is reunited and all is good. This movie is one of those that define Christmas as a time for family and giving to your community.
In
Christmas With You (2022) tell the story of a young and famous singer who is struggling in her career.
She is tasked with writing a Christmas song, but finds it difficult because of her relationship with Christmas. The reason: trauma in the past. Meeting a young fan and getting to know her family (including the handsome) unlocks new possibilities.
Together, they write a hit single and on that journey they also fall in love. This is a romantic comedy catering to a Spanish speaking audience through various cultural references as well as the actors.
In
Welcome to my corner of the internet.