2020 – My Theatrical Movie Experiences Ranked

  Holly cow, it’s 2020, the first year of a brand-new decade … and it was a rough year to say the least. With the unfortunate COVD-19 epidemic, theaters were shut-down, many anticipated releases were pushed back, and Video On Demand seems to be the main way to experience new releases. Still, I’m the kind of guy who savors the experience of seeing movies in the theater, and those are the events that I want to recap. While I didn’t see as many movies in the theater this year as I normally do, there’s still just enough for me to rank. I’ll only be ranking the movies I saw in the theater, which means some other really good (and bad) films from 2020 won’t make the countdown. Also, this is all my own personal opinion, these films aren’t ranked by the quality of the picture, but simply by how each left an impression on me. There are four movies in total, and lets just have some fun looking back at some of the films from 2020.

#4 “The New Mutants” 

My favorite comic-book franchise takes an interesting new direction into the horror genera, resulting in a fun little haunted house film, but with superpowered excitement mixed in. While the plot is very run of the mil and predictable … the committed performances from a strong cast, along with the novelty of seeing lesser characters from the X-Men comics finally on the big screen were just enough to make this a genuinely satisfying experience. The down-side is that the whole film dose feel rather disposable, like a passable set-up for a series that will never happen. Had this been a piolet for a TV series, it would have been better … as a stand-alone movie … it’s okay. At the very least, it was a novelty just for feeling so different from any other film in the series … and sense it’s tied into my favorite superhero franchise, I’ll at least remember it for that. 

 

#3 “Sonic The Hedgehog” 

After years and years of waiting, I finally got to see one of my childhood icons on the big screen … and naturally I’m talking about Jim Carry. After being absent for almost a decade, it was such a treat to finally see my childhood favorite comedian of the 90’s returning back to form, and he was clearly having a lot of fun as a cartoony villain. Also, while I’ve never really called myself a fan, Sonic was never the less present in my childhood in one form or another, and it was a genuine delight to see him on the big screen. For a run of the mile set-up involving a marketable cartoon character in our boring normal world, with generic humans, and a one-note car-trip plot … I didn’t think the film was half-bad at all. In fact, I think it set a genuine high-bar for videogame adaptions. It's by no means a masterpiece, but just a fun little family comedy adventure, with a genuinely likable cast of characters. 

#2 “Tenet” 

Christopher Nolan treats his fans to a movie that’s essentially one big love letter to those of use who admire and enjoy his style of filmmaking. His ideas, his screenplays, his usage of jaw-dropping practical effects, breathtaking visuals, innovative action, and above all else … putting aside “The Dark Knight Trilogy” … it’s his persistence in originality that makes him one of the great filmmakers of our time. While there are certainly familiar elements of James Bond, Spy Capers, and Time Travel, it’s the execution of his ideas, and seeing things from a different perspective that makes “Tenet” … among his many films … feel like refreshing and new experiences. While perhaps a little too confusing for viewers not familiar with his style, and unique methods of storytelling, it’s still the kind of experiences worth having in the theater.     

 

#1 “The Invisible Man” 

Of all the classic Universal Monsters, The Invisible Man has always been my personal favorite by far. For a modern retelling of the H. G. Wells novel, this film doesn’t try to copy the original in any way, and is a completely unique entity on its own, with different strengths then it’s predecessors. I’ve always felt that horror is most effective with the dangers that are off-screen … and this movie takes that approach and runs with it. Leigh Whannell’s direction and presentation is brilliant as he uses sound design, and crafty camera tricks as a tool to create a sense of uncomfortable tension and chilling suspense. Subtle practical effects are utilized frequently, while the digital special effects are used sparingly … which I highly respect. The cast all around is solid, with Elisabeth Moss delivering a fiercely committed lead performance. While this remake is by no means a “game changer”, it never the less is a great example of an original source material being reimagined into something fresh, smart, and exciting in its own right.  

So, concludes 2020 … and if we’re lucky … the thrill of the theater will return next year. 

Disney’s The Little Match Girl (2006) (Special Review)

    Hans Christian Andersen’s 1845 tail “The Little Match Girl” is something of a childhood staple for me. I distinctly remember my sister and I as kids visiting my grandparents, and always asked them to read us a story from this big book of fairytales of theirs. 

For all the cheerful, exciting, and upbeat stories at our disposal, we commonly requested “The Little Match Girl”, which isn’t the most cheerful of kid’s stories … in fact it’s downright tragic. However, my sister and I always excepted it as facing the sadness that comes with life in general, and it always made us feel a little more grown-up. Plus, for as sad as the story got, it was also very warm, and even beautiful in its own distinct way. Over time, the story was present in our household, and regularly resurfaced around the Christmas season. In 2006, Disney animation released a seven-minute short of “The Little Match Girl”, and it was a unique moment in which this meaningful story I grew-up with finally got some form of a digital special, one that could be viewed annually during the holiday season. The result is nothing short of perfect, as this animated special respected its source material, didn’t change the ending, and allows younger viewers to face challenging emotions, while also sustaining the warmth and beauty of the fable.       

   Originally, this short was developed as a segment for a third “Fantasia” picture, which was slated for release in 2006, but that movie was unfortunately scraped, despite a number of finished story-boards. It’s very clear this was meant as a “Fantasia” short, as there’s no dialogue or sound design, and it’s all matched to classic instrumental music. Set in the cold streets of Saint Petersburg, a homeless little girl sets out to make money selling matches, but unfortunately, no one is buying. With the weather baring down hard, she seeks warmth from the vary matches she was trying to sell, and begins to imagine warm fantasies emanating from the flames. She pictures herself receiving a delicious meal, a warm cabin, a beautiful Christmas tree, and sharing the holiday with her late grandmother. Andersen's original intention with the story was to call immediate attention to the plight of Europe's suffering children, but it’s also a story of hope, and finding comfort in ones darkest hour. The music accompanying this short is Alexander Borodin’s “String Quartet No. 2” in D Major, which complimented the Russian setting.  

    There have been a number of animated Disney adaptions of Hans Christian Andersen’s fables, with the two most famous being “The Little Mermaid”, and “The Ice Queen”, which was re-molded into “Frozen”. However, I honestly feel “The Little Match Girl” captured the tone and spirit of its source material better than any of the other animated adaptions. Sense this was a short, it didn’t need to make any drastic alterations to pad the run-time to feature length, and it could get away with more dramatic details which wouldn’t have worked as well in a theatrical feature film. The one important element missing from this short is the backstory of the girls strict and abusive father. 

In fact, the whole reason the girl was out in the cold was due to her fear of returning home without enough money, and how her dad would punish her. One other noteworthy difference is the change in setting, as the story was originally set in the author's native Denmark, while this short is set in Russia, mainly because Saint Petersburg allowed for beautiful scenery, and was associated with snow and harsh winters. On that note, the animation is gorgeous, and looks like theatrical Disney animation quality. The visuals are especially effective in making you feel the cold surroundings, while also providing the warm atmosphere of her imagined fantasies. One of my favorite details from the story is when the girl imagines herself by a Christmas Tree … but not just any Christmas Tree ... the biggest, grandest, most stunning Christmas Tree you could ever imagine. This short respectfully downplays the trees size and grandeur, and yet, through its own simplicity, and the mood, it still feels like the most breathtaking Christmas tree I’ve ever seen … at least in an animated Christmas special.  

   Now we come to the point where I issue a spoiler warning because, there’s no discussing “The Little Match Girl” without addressing the ending … which never fails to get me all teary-eyed. In general, Hans Christian Andersen is no stranger to sad endings … but their always laced with a sense of beauty and purpose. The ending to his novel of “The Little Mermaid” for example is very sad, as Princess Ariel dose in-fact die, but she also archives her goal of gaining a human soul, and thus is able to go to Heaven, unlike all the other mermaids who just turn to kelp. As such, we have an ending that’s sad, yet very beautiful, and even profound. “The Little Match Girl” in many respects combines a tragedy with something beautiful. Our titular Match Girl passes away during the cold night, but she’s also reunited with the soul of her loving grandmother, and the two ascend into Heaven together, which is symbolized by a shooting star. Had the girl simply died, and the short ended, it would have felt cold, and empty. Yet, seeing her reunite with a loved one, and knowing she’s gone to a better place makes it feel beautiful. Tragedy alone makes me feel dismal, but combining something sorrowful with something warm and uplifting is what makes me cry. This short, as well as the story in general always leaves a powerful impact, and I feel the best stories are the ones that combine sadness and joy into a seemingly whole. Back when I was a kid, the concept of death terrified me, as it’s something we’ll all face some day, yet this story always gave me a sense of hope, that something warm and beautiful awaits us afterword.           

   In this regard, I feel the story of “The Little Match Girl” is a very important one to share with kids, and this short is an excellent way for newer generations to get familiar with the story. At the 79^th Academy Awards, Disney’s “The Little Match Girl” was nominated for Best Short, but lost to a different animated short titled “The Danish Poet” … which is kind of ironic sense Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish Author himself. Still, the Disney short has gained new found attention over the years, and I’m noticing it on more lists of best Christmas specials. 

It’s absolutely one of my favorites, and one I make a tradition of re-watching every year. I was first introduced to the short as an extra on Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” Platinum Edition DVD, which is fitting as their both adaptions of Andersons literature. It has sense found a home on the Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection, which is equally fitting as there’s a “Frozen” short attached (yet another Anderson adaption), and it’s a great way for new viewers to discover it. There’s also another Christmas short added to the mix titled “Operation Prep and Landing”, which focuses on two of Santa’s Elves finding a gift belonging to Mrs. Claus. It’s a little more disposable, but an enjoyable watch all the same. It’s actually a great comparative peace, as you can show kids the more fun and fluffier “Operation Prep and Landing”, but it probably won’t stick with them the same way “The Little Match Girl” would. Yes, it has more of an edge, but I still feel it’s important for kids to face challenging emotions that are common in everyday life.   

   Overall, I’d say “The Little Match Girl” is simply Disney at its finest. It’s got great animation, heartfelt drama, and takes chances focusing on the fragile nature of human life. It’s a tail that challenged me, helped me grow, and is also laced with personal memories and feelings of my own late grandparents. I’ve always felt this story deserved its own holiday special, and I’m happy to say that in the absence of a motion picture, it has a near-perfect short to represent it. The special absolutely ranks among my favorites of the season, and it’s one that I highly encourage others to discover.

Thanks for reading my review of Disney's animated short “The Little Match Girl” … and continue to enjoy the Holiday Specials you Love! 

 

 

The Simpsons: My Top 10 Christmas Episodes

"The Simpsons" of course need no introduction, as it’s often regarded as one of the greatest animated TV Sit-come shows of all-time. It’s a beloved comedy series, and it’s one of the longest lasting TV shows in recorded history. 

Yes, it’s a classic show, and for my liking, they always seem to resurface around the holiday seasons. I’ve talked in length about how much I adore the annual Simpsons Halloween specials, but now it’s time to shed some light on Christmas, and all the jolly comedy they bring to the season. My initial plan was to rank every single Christmas episode, but then realized how daunting a task that would be, sense the show has no end in sight ... and there's so many as is. Heck, ever sense there early shorts on the “Tracy Ullman Show”, "The Simpsons" have been producing Christmas content. So, to keep things simple for this post, I’ll be counting down my own personal Top 10 favorite Christmas episodes from the series. With all that said … Jingle Bells … Homer smells … and it’s the Simpsons all the way!   

   

#10 “Skinner’s Sense of Snow” (Season 12, episode 8) 

It’s the last day of school before the holiday break, and there’s a freak blizzard on the way. Despite everything else closing down in favor of a snow day, the children’s elementary school is still open, which means the kids are still obligated to go. After being subjected to a lame-duck Christmas special, the students find themselves snowed in at the school, and with no means of escape. Thus, everyone is at the mercy of Principle Skinner, who turns the school into a figurative prison camp for disobedient kids. 

Naturally, it just takes one slip-up for Bart to lead a revolt against the authority figure, all while the parents are stuck out in the snow in their vain attempts to rescue the kids from their icy prison. This is a case in which I find the set-up better than the pay-off. The premise of kids trapped at school for the Christmas season is a brilliant idea, which opens the door for countless possibilities, but only a hand-full of memorable laughs make it through, while the rest feels a tad disposable. I would have enjoyed it more if the episode had more failed escape attempts, and if the payoff was cleverer, but as is … it’s still a really good set-up, just with a “so-so” execution.  

#9 “Tis the 30th Season” (Season 30, episode 10) 

Woof … after 30 seasons, you’d think The Simpsons would just take a break … well, that’s actually kind of what they do for this Christmas outing. After staying out in the freezing cold on Black Friday to get special gifts for the kids, Homer and the family decide to do something nice for their mother this holiday season ... and it only took them thirty years. Thus, they go on vacation in lovely Florida, only to find out it’s not so lovely. 

Despite all the problems, everyone still commits to the vacation, just to keep their mom happy. In reality, she just wants to go back to Springfield, and have a peaceful holiday with her family back at home. While this episode is short on Christmas visuals, it still packs all the warmth of a family holiday special, and it’s great to see this commonly dysfunctional family genuinely try to be there for one another. The cold winter scenes are also chalk full of chilly atmosphere, which is a great contrast to the comfort of the family coming together. Nothing knee-slapping funny, but nothing offensive either, just a decent little Christmas outing.  

 

#8 “The Fight Before Christmas” (Season 22, episode 8) 

The Simpsons second attempt at a Christmas anthology fairs better than before, although it still leaves me with mixed feelings. This time around, it’s a family feud that set’s off everyone’s individual stories, which is a nice way to tie things together. Bart is on the war path with Santa, and wants a special gift no matter what. He boards the Poler Express, and takes a job as one of Santa’s helpers. After working his way to the top, he finally meets Krusty-Santa, and the two have a heart to heart. 

Lisa meanwhile is upset with all the cruelty to once living trees, that get slaughtered for the sake of Christmas decorations. There’s a fun dream sequence in which Marge gets drafted to fight in Germany during the holiday season, which leads into a funny spoof of Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds”. The next, and least funny segment revolves around Martha Stewart, who fixes things up until there broken. Thankfully, the episode redeems itself with a funny epilogue in which all the characters become live-action Muppets, and an attractive Katy Perry in a skin tight red dress arrives on scene. All around, this is a rocky episode, with varying levels of quality, but the good stuff at least stands out … at least enough that I find favor with this second attempt at an anthology Christmas special.    

 

#7 “Tis’ the Fifteenth Season” (Season 15, episode 7) 

It’s the Christmas season yet again, and gifts are flying off the shelfs. Homer, being a self-centered sloth, spends all his money on unnecessary novelty items (from the Unnecessary Sales store) for himself. After watching a spoof of “Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol”, Homer has an epiphany, to be selfless and kinder to those around him. In an ironic twist, Homer achieves new found fame and attention as the nicest guy on earth, which angers his neighbor Flanders to no end. Soon, the two find themselves competing to see who can “out nice the other”. The final nail in the coffin is Homer misunderstanding Lisa’s remark about gifts and consumerism ruining the season. 

Thus, in a hilarious nod to “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, Homer sneaks into everyone’s home to steal their gifts, and is under the delusion that he’s doing good for his community … only for an angry mob to chase him down. The appeal of this outing comes from all the jolly winks at other Christmas specials. It would have been so easy for Homer to get his inspiration from watching “A Christmas Carol” on its own, but specifically going after “Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol” makes it all the more amusing. There’s also an especially fun running joke involving stop-motion specials on TV, with California Prunes in place of the California Raisins. While the other jokes from this special are hit and mis, the over arcing premise is great fun, leads to some holiday charms, and is all around an above average Simpsons Christmas outing.

 

#6 “Marge be not Proud” (Season 7, episode 11) 

With Christmas approaching, all the kids have gifts on their minds. Bart especially wants the hottest selling videogame, which his mother Marge naturally turns him down on, as the game is too violent. Bart’s obsession with the game leads him to sink to the biggest low … attempting to shoplift with the game in-tow. 

Naturally he gets caught by mall security, and the revelation of her boy being a thief becomes too much for Marge to handle. Thus, he’s given the ultimate cold-shoulder, as the family distance themselves from him. It’s on the Eve of Christmas that Bart is given one last chance to set things right, and to stop being the black-sheep of the family. While I find some of the cruel hummer on display a little much, there are still some solid laughs, and I do feel this Christmas outing has a good heart underneath. Plus, it’s just nice to have an episode focused on the connection between Bart and his mother. For the shows first proper Christmas offering sense the original premier episode, this one retained just enough spark from the glory days, before hitting the lesser age of Simpsons fatigue.          

 

#5 “Bobby, It's Cold Outside” (Season 31, Episode 10) 

Yes, Bart Simpsons greatest enemy Side Show Bob has returned, and he’s apparently working as a theme-park Santa. The real surprise is that he’s not after Bart and claims to have reformed. However, a series of robberies lead Bart to think his enemy is back to his horrible ways. To prove his innocents, Side Show Bob puts together a plan to capture the real culprit … who turns out to be none other then Mr. Burns.

With his new found calling as a Santa, Bob helps Burns evaluate the errors of his ways, and soon enough, we have two villains reforming for the holiday season. It’s hard not to enjoy an episode with Side Show Bob, and this is yet another good one. It's nice seeing the villains reform, the jokes mostly work, and I enjoy the callbacks to previous Christmas episodes … like Magi stuck in a theme-park ride dedicated to that scary Christmas Elf she encountered years back. All around, it’s anther fun episode to add to both the Christmas, and the Side Show Bob collection.      

 

#4 “Simpson’s Roasting on an Open Fire” (Season 1, episode 1) 

Here it is, the very first episode of the entire series, and the only Christmas special to come from the golden age of Simpsons television … before it slowly went downhill after season six. At this time, the family find themselves short on money for Christmas gifts, but daddy Homer isn’t going down without a fight, and will stoop to any low to give his family a special holiday gift. 

First, he takes on the role of a mall Santa, which naturally doesn’t work out. Plan B is going to a dog race track in an effort to make money on gambling. As one would expect, the dog he bet on loses, and is kicked out. Homer for once in his life proves he has a heart after-all and takes the dog home as a family pet … lovingly nicknamed Santa’s Little Helper. Unlike most of the family holiday disasters, Homer’s stupidity isn’t the direct cause of the problems, and it’s great to see him act out of genuine love for his family to try setting things right, and treating them to a special holiday. 

Of course, his desperation dose lead to some funny moments … like chopping down a random tree in the woods, and calling it a family Christmas tree. This episode is often sighted as the best of the Simpsons Christmas episodes … certainly the most classic … but for me, there’s one slight detail that keeps it from ranking any higher. Needless to say, the animation of this first episode (actually the first season overall) has not aged well, and is very distracting at times. Despite that, this is still one of the more heart-felt Holiday outings with this show, and it certainly puts me in the Christmas mood. 

 

#3 “I Won’t be Home for Christmas” (Season 26, episode 9) 

Who would have thought … a genuinely good, and thoroughly enjoyable Christmas episode from the late twenty seasons … I suppose this is the season for miracles. Things start strong with arguably my favorite of the altered Christmas openings, and a funny little jab at “Frozen”. More funny gags aimed at popular Christmas specials continued coming out of the woodwork, including a surprise nod to Disney’s short “Prep and Landing”, an amusing joke aimed at “Miracle on 34th Street”, and a hilarious jab at “The Star Wars Holiday Special”.  

Set entirely on Christmas Eve, Homer is on his way back from work, and is suddenly guilted into keeping the bartender Mo some friendly company. Marge however, accuses her husband for being neglectful on Christmas, and sends him out into the cold. Despite this, Homer finds himself in a rather generous mood, and gives something special to any and all he encounters … even a heart to heart with Ned Flanders … which also leads to a funny payoff. Once Marge learns Homer was guilted into staying at Mo’s bar, she and the kids go out into the cold looking for him. 

There’s an especially funny gag revolving around the time warn traveling montage cliché … “He’s not in the cross-dissolving Neon-Sign store!”. Aside from all the funny gags, and finally seeing a nicer side to Homer, I just love the atmosphere in this episode. There’s something about an all-night walk-about in the snowy city that feels cold, yet still packs that warmth of the Christmas season. It all builds to a positive ending with the family coming together. What can I say, it’s a funny, decorative, atmospheric, even kind of touching episode, and one of my favorites of the Simpsons Christmas collection.       

 

#2 “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace” (Season 9, episode 10) 

Twas the Night Before Christmas, and all through the house, everyone was sleeping … except for Bart Simpson. Yes, that sneaky Bart drank an over abundance of water to insure he awoke before everyone else, just to have a first crack at his gifts. Following after a hilarious dream sequence, Bart finds a special gift from Santa, resulting in this funny quip … “Ha, I knew Santa wouldn’t have time to check that list twice”. 

Unfortunately, Bart's playtime accidently sets the Christmas tree on fire, and all the gifts go up in flames. Like dominoes toppling over, things just get worse from that point on. Bart hides the evidence, and blames the missing gifts on a burglar. In a terrific nod to “It’s a Wonderful Life”, everyone from Springfield gives money to the family in light of their lose. Stricken with guilt, Bart insists they give the money to charity, but Homer of course spends it all on a car, which quickly crashes and burns … and sinks … and explodes! In light of this, Bart finally comes clean on what really happened … but then through a misunderstanding, everyone thinks the Simpson family swindled them out of their money. 

Thus, the family is robed blind, leaving them with only each-other, and while things are gloomy on the surface, the family form a strong connection despite all they’ve lost. I personally adore this episode, as it’s rich with Christmas cheer, the comedy is on point, there are countless memorable details, and it’s always great fun to see a figurative snowball effect take shape. It’s easily one of my favorite of their Christmas offerings, and is a bright spot in the pre-double-digit Simpsons holiday seasons. 

Before I reveal my #1 favorite Christmas episode of "The Simpsons", here are some quick honorable mentions ... 

    

“Grift of the Magi” (Season 11 episode 9)

“Simpson Christmas Stories” (Season 17 episode 9)

 "White Christmas Blues" (Season 25 episode 8)

“Gone Boy” (Season 29, Episode 9)

“The Way of the Dog” (Season 31, Episode 22)

#1 “Holidays of Future Passed” (Season 23, Episode 9) 

Oh boy, “The Simpsons” have certainly had their share of memorable Christmas themed episodes, but my personal favorite without a doubt is “Holidays of Future Passed”. Most fans say the show died after season six … and their right … but I still give credit where it’s do, and point out at least a handful of worthwhile episodes to come out in the new millennium. Case in point, I honestly think this episode from the twenty-third season has an absolutely perfect blending of Simpsons hummer, and some genuinely touching moments. This episode is set over 30 years in the future, and focuses on the struggles of the now grown-up Simpsons kids, as well as the hardships their going through with their own children. 

Lisa doesn’t know how to connect to her doubter, Bart is a divorced dad trying to rekindle with his kids, Maggie is a pop superstar who’s going into labor (we hilariously still never hear her speak), and in a very cool twist, Homer Simpson himself has changed from a dead-beat dad to an awesome and loving grandfather. There are lots of terrific jokes revolving around the future setting, and there’s great satire on how the youth of this new generation are becoming empty shells that just plug into the internet. The real strength of this episode are all the touching interactions between the characters as they question whether or not they made the right decisions in their lives, and how maybe it’s not too late to change for the better. The scene with grown-up Lisa and Bart sharing a drink while in their childhood tree house is one of my favorite moments that really hit this Christmas special home. Finally, I love how this episode is book-ended with the family Christmas photos, which is another charm that I just find touching. There’s plenty of good Simpsons Christmas episodes out there, but for me, it’s “Holidays of Future Passed” that has the most staying power. 

Thanks for reading my Simpsons Christmas Episode countdown … and continue to enjoy the Holiday Specials you Love!