TWILIGHT ZONE THE MOVIE

 

 

Twilight Zone The Movie is, of course, the film version of the popular classic TV show that was narrated by the late Rod Serling. In the film, the late Burgess Meredith--who had starred in some of the show's most popular episodes--does the narrating duties. The movie consists of four stories, including stories directed by such noted directors like Steven Spielberg and John Landis. The first story involves a bigot who gets a dose of his own medicine when he gets transported to different times in history when various race relations weren't at their best such as Nazi-occupied France and the Deep South back when lynchings were all the rage. (Warning: the main character in this story uses various racial epithets including The N Word.) The second story is decidedly more lighthearted as it stars the late Scatman Crothers as a rather mystical character who travels from one nursing home to another teaching the elderly residents how to stay young . . . literally. The third story involves a young boy with unusual powers who entraps people in a home of his own design and forces them to be his surrogate family--after he's, of course, disposed of his own family for "disobeying" him--until he befriends a teacher who, er, teaches him new ways to use rather than abuse his powers. The fourth story is a redoing of one of the show's most popular episodes of all-time about a rather mentally unstable man--played in the redo by John Lithgow replacing William "Capt. Kirk" Shatner in the B & W original--on a plane during a storm when he looks out the window and sees a horrible creature trying to tear apart the plane's engine. Of course, his fellow passengers and crew alike thinks he's nuts until they discover otherwise after they're forced to make an emergency landing and they see the engine all torn to pieces. The movie also features a rather interesting prologue and epilogue sequence starring Dan Aykroyd (of Ghostbusters and Saturday Night Live fame). (You'll, of course, just have to watch the flick to see what I mean by "interesting," all right?) I thought the movie was akin to the Stephen King flick Creepshow, though I found it not as good. Still, it's a decent enough flick to pass the time with. It should especially appeal to diehard--and maybe not-as-diehard--fans of the original TV show. A sidenote: This film drew some controversy for the deaths of actor Vic Morrow--who starred as the bigot in the movie's first story--and two Asian child actors during a horrific accident involving a helicopter stunt and some heavy pyrotechnics. What made the deaths all the more horrific was that their deaths were actually caught on-camera by about three or four different angles. It turns out the producers of the film reportedly paid the child actors under the table, so to speak, to get around certain child labor laws of the time. It probably goes without saying that said producers of the film got their asses sued by the children's families until said producers were finally found a decade later not guilty of manslaughter. It also probably goes without saying that future film producers became less likely to pull this kind of irresponsible crap on future films (for, I feel, for obvious reasons).   

ZERO DARK THIRTY

Have you ever seen a movie advertised on TV and you think there's no way in hell you would EVER pay to go see it? Zero Dark Thirty is one of those films for me. The film gives a "fictionalized" account of the "search" and "killing" of Osama bin Laden. The movie was directed by director Kathryn Bigelow who, as you probably already know, won an Oscar for Best Picture for her other "war" film The Hurt Locker. Going back to why I won't watch this movie, judging from what I've already heard about this flick, it sounds like a Republican's wet dream as it reportedly "glamorizes" so-called enhanced interrogation techniques, i.e. TORTURE. The problem with this is that, according to "official" reports on how bin Laden was "captured" and "killed" and whatnot, there was very little if any "torture" involved in "finding" Osama. In fact, the movie is apparently so rife with errors that even the higher-ups at the CIA issued a press release denouncing the "inaccuracy" of the film. Bigelow and the film's producers have responded by saying how this is more or less just a movie, yet they insist how they used--that's right!--"official" accounts of bin Laden's execution. So which is it? Is it a "realistic" portrayal of Osama's "capture"  and "killing" or is it just merely entertainment? Whatever this film is actually supposed to be, I feel that I would be too tempted to call "Bullshit!" while watching it, you know what I mean? Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I'll just watch Kathryn Bigelow's other previously-reviewed "action" flick Point Break starring the late Patrick Swayze and--ugh!--Keanu Reeves, thank you very much! A sidenote: While I don't mean to sound like a diehard conspiracy theorist here, I frankly don't believe the "official" account of bin Laden's "capture" and subsequent killing. If you'd like to see at least part of the reason why, take a gander at the following YouTube clip I found a while back where former Vice-President--and "rumored" actual President--Dick Cheney admits . . . well, I'll just let you watch it and see for yourself, all right?

 



 

BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE

 

 

Bowling For Columbine is a documentary by noted controversial "liberal" filmmaker Michael Moore. The film centers around the school shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado back in 1999, which was regarded as one of the worst if not the worst school shooting in American history. As you might've already figured, Moore adds his own "liberal" take to the horrifically tragic shooting and its aftermath. But, whatever one personally feels about Moore and his "work" and/or whether or not they're a fan, he does make some interesting points and/or cites some interesting statistics in the film. For instance, when people--e.g. media pundits and his fellow "liberals"--blame the "availability" of guns in the U.S. for mass shootings such as Columbine, he cites how other counties such as Canada has pretty much the same "access" to guns as this country and yet, compared to this country, Canada's violent crime rate is almost nonexistent. Also, when people--e.g. media pundits and "conservatives"--cite things like "violent" video games and so-called popular culture (remember when these people actually "blamed" goth rocker Marilyn Manson--whom Moore interviews for the film--for somehow "causing" the Columbine school shooting when it turned out the two Columbine shooters weren't even "fans" of Marilyn Manson's music?)--as the true "cause" of gun violence in America, Moore again cites how the "entertainment" in Japan is just as violent--and often even more so--than the "entertainment" people generally view in the United States and yet, compared again to this country, Japan's violent crime rate is likewise nearly nonexistent. And, also, when people cite America's "violent" history as the reason for rampant gun violence and/or violence in general in this country, Moore once again notes how other countries have had similar "violent" histories as America such as Germany (and you know about THOSE guys, right?) and, there again, their crime rates are almost nonexistent compared to America's. While he doesn't give a definitive answer as to the true cause of violence in America (but then, who the hell can?), these--and other--points that Moore makes about American violence really does make you think regardless of your political leanings. This documentary, like every other Michael Moore documentary (and pretty much whatever else MM does or says), caused some controversy. The main point-of-contention was his interview with the late actor Charlton Heston at his home towards the end of the film who was, as you probably already know, a diehard (no pun intended!) gun enthusiast and was also a member/spokesperson for the NRA (and, again, you know about THOSE guys, right?). It probably goes without saying that many--or most--right-wing pundits accused Moore--whom, of course, they weren't a major "fan" of to begin with--of "ambushing" and/or "disrespecting" the aging actor (who--as you again probably already know--walked off the interview when Michael kept pressing him on the gun issue). Quite frankly, whatever "sympathy" I might have had for Chuck dissipated when I heard him years ago rant & rave on one of those early-morning Sunday political talk shows about how "blacks" only wanted a handout and/or how "gays" wanted to show their "lifestyle" down everyone's throat (again, no pun intended!). The main problem I personally had with the film was when Moore with a few of the Columbine survivors in tow--one of whom was confined to a wheelchair as a result of his wounds suffered in the shooting (can anyone say exploitation!)--confronted the higher-ups at K-Mart where the two Columbine shooters reportedly bought their ammunition. Even to Moore's obvious surprise, their pressure "persuaded" K-Mart to stop selling ammo in their stores. Now would-be school shooters will just have to buy their ammo at--gasp!--Wal-Mart where, of course, they can likely get it CHEAPER! Way to go, Michael! A sidenote: Also interviewed for the film was Matt Stone who is one of the co-creators of the South Park TV show and who, along with co-creator Trey Parker, hail from Colorado. Apparently Stone & Parker--who, as you know, I've lampooned more than once in this blog--were none too happy about the animated short in the film called "A Brief History Of The United States" that they felt was a little too much like their beloved South Park. As a result, Stone & Parker--that's right!--lampooned Micheal Moore in their puppet movie Team America: World Police. Apparently SOME people CAN'T take what they routinely dish out, now CAN they? As for what I personally feel about "stopping" gun violence and/or violence in general in America, I think it's far, far easier to advocate banning guns and/or "violent" video games and whatnot than it is to take a long hard look at OURSELVES, you know what I mean?   

DEATH WISH

 

Death Wish is a mid-seventies film starring action flick legend the late Charles Bronson. Death Wish--and, of course, its subsequent inevitable sequels--put Bronson on the cinematic map. In the film, Bronson plays an architect named Paul Kersey who's, by all accounts, a bleeding heart "liberal" until his wife and daughter are brutally attacked in their own home by a gang of ruthless thugs (one of whom is played by Jeff Goldblum who made his cinematic debut in this flick). After his wife is murdered and his daughter is raped by said thugs, Kersey becomes a gun-toting vigilante. Even though the man-seeking-bloody-vengeance theme has been mined to death (no pun intended!) in movies before and since the release of Death Wish, what sets Death Wish apart from some--or most--of those other films is that the results of violence are more, shall we say, pronounced than in those other films. For instance, unlike some--or most--of those other "revenge" flicks where the vigilante automatically turns into a bloodthirsty killer after they suffer their horrific tragedy, Charles's Kersey's character seemingly has problems, at least initially so, when he goes out in search of, for lack of a better word, victim; like, for instance, he hesitates when someone tries to mug him. And then, when he finally does shoot said mugger, he goes home and throws up in the toilet. However, he soon gets over his initial queasiness (of course!) and starts hunting down baddies with gusto! I, of course, won't tell you how it ends (even though it's quite obvious Charles's character survives to "star" in the four--count 'em!--FOUR sequels) except to say that Kersey doesn't get to exact his revenge on the thugs who destroyed his family (and, FYI, he doesn't get to exact revenge on said thugs in any of the sequels either, so, no, we don't get to see Charles Bronson blow the head off Jeff Goldblum, damn it!). A sidenote: This movie, as you can probably imagine, drew considerable controversy when it was released as it no doubt would were it released today (especially in the wake of all these tragically recent senseless mass shootings). Many film critics chastised the film for its excessive use of violence. Of course, these were the same film critics who praised other notable violent movies like The Godfather (remember the scene with the horse's head planted in the mobster's bed?). Go figure!

NEXT OF KIN

 

 

Next Of Kin is one of the late Patrick Swayze's lesser-known action flicks. Released in 1989 (and was released after his megahit "classic" flick Ghost), it co-stars Liam Neeson (yes, THAT Liam Neeson!). In the film, Patrick and Liam play--wait for it!--hillbilly brothers straight from the hills of Kentucky. Patrick's character has left said hillbilly hills of Kentucky to become a big city cop in--gasp!--Chicago while Liam's character stays behind in Kentucky to do whatever the hell hillbillies tend to do. Anyway, Patrick's character is estranged from said hillbilly family because they're apparently offended that he left the hillbilly clan and dared went to the big city. Anyway, the family is brought back together when their brother is murdered while working in Chicago at Patrick's character's request after he loses his job at--where else!--Kentucky coal mines by some crazed mobster. To make a long story short, after Liam's character is killed while pulling a Batman--or the hillbilly version thereof!--on the mobsters who killed his brother, Patrick's character quits his job as a big city cop and exacts revenge with his hillbilly clan against the mobsters in--again, wait for it!--a darkened cemetery. I, of course, won't tell you how the "battle" ends--though, of course, you could probably already figure it out for yourself--but, as Roger Ebert himself once noted about this flick during his initial review of this film, how in the world could a major "battle" in a Chicago cemetery NOT draw the attention of the police? Anyway, while Next Of Kin is certainly not the greatest Patrick Swayze flick ever (he even won a "Razzie" for Worst Actor for this role along with his role as a "freelance bouncer" in his arguably better action flick Road House), it is still an entertaining enough of a film--in spite of its B-movie schlocky-type feel and its hilarious caricatures of not only hillbillies but of Italians as well!--to pass the time if you don't have anything better to do. Not only that, but watching otherwise proper Irish actor Liam Neeson trying to tackle a hillbilly accent is a hoot! Oh yeah, this movie also stars Helen Hunt as Patrick's character's non-hillbilly wife, for anyone who is interested!

A CHRISTMAS STORY

 

A Christmas Story is an early-eighties "holiday" flick that has since gone on to be one of the most popular Christmas flicks of all-time. To be honest, and I know I might incur the wrath of those that seemingly worship this flick by saying this, I'm not too big a fan of this particular Christmas flick. But, then again, I'm not too big of a fan of Christmas flicks in general (Scrooge a.k.a. A Christmas Carol and Santa's Slay notwithstanding!). Anyway, for those few of you who haven't caught the 24-hour-a-day reruns of A Christmas Story on cable on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas, the movie is about a young boy named "Ralphie" and his rather eccentric family around Christmastime who desperately wants a certain BB gun from Santa Claus. Of course, Ralphie is bummed when everyone tells him, including the store Santa he encounters in one of the film's most famous scenes, he can't have said BB gun since he'll poke his eye out if he gets his coveted BB gun (which--spoiler alert!--happens when he does in fact get his beloved BB gun on Christmas morning from his dear old dad). That's pretty much the film, though, for some reason, there are those who have really latched onto this particular Christmas flick (like, for instance, I read a story about one guy who was apparently so smitten with this flick that he actually bought the actual house where the film was actually filmed). Again, I can't see what the big deal is about this particular film. I mean, it's an entertaining little film (my own personal favorite scene is when the father receives that rather kinky-looking "leg lamp" that seemingly attracts the attention of the entire neighborhood when he lights it up much to the obvious chagrin of his wife) but that's about all I really think about it. Actually, when this flick came out, it was a minor box office hit at best. It wasn't until years later thanks to constant reruns and/or home video the movie has taken on a life of its own and has been included a number of top ten favorite Christmas flicks of all-time lists sort of like that other "favorite" Christmas flick the Jimmy Stewart "classic" It's A Wonderful Life which was also a box office dud when it was released until it later became a "holiday classic" thanks to TV reruns and/or home vid. And, just so you know, if I had to choose between the two films, I'd pick A Christmas Story over It's A Wonderful flippin' Life anytime (and, again, I know I might incur the wrath of people who "love" IAWF, but, screw it, this is MY movie review blog!). I tell ya, I tried watching THAT flick and I felt like jumping off a damned bridge! A sidenote: The creators of South Park--who, as you probably know, I've taken a swipe or two at in this blog (reread my review of their cinematic crap-fest of a flick BASEketball)--once stated how much they were "influenced" by this flick in their creation of their popular show South Park. I'll let you decide if that a good thing or a bad thing, alright?

HEAVEN'S PRISONERS

 

This movie is about . . . well, to tell the truth, the REAL reason to watch this flick is for the scene where Teri Hatcher (of Desperate Housewives and Superman fame) pulls an Amanda Peet and appears starkers atop a balcony. There's also another scene where Teri flashes her bra to--gag!--Alec Baldwin (otherwise known as the D-Bag who told his very own daughter off on the phone by calling her a, and I quote, "thoughtless little pig" and warned his beloved little girl how he was going to--and, again, I quote--"straighten your ass out" the next time he saw her, but I digress). 

LIFEFORCE

 

 

To  be honest, I don't really remember much about this mid-eighties sci-fi flick . . . except that ultra hot French actress Mathilda May walks around starkers throughout about three-fourths of the film (Amanda "The Whole Nine Yards" Peet, are you listening?). Go figure!

ELF

 

 

I was actually kind of surprised by how much I enjoyed the movie Elf. I admit, I'm not too big of a Will Ferrell fan since I feel every cinematic character he's done is more or less a variation of the characters he played on Saturday Night Live. But, like I said, I kind of liked this one. In this movie, Will plays Buddy who's an oversized Elf at the--where else!--North Pole. His "father"--played by Bob Newhart--finally breaks down and admits that he's not his real dad (I guess the height difference wasn't a dead giveaway!). So he travels to New York to find his real father--played by James Caan--who's a rather disagreeable children's book publisher. It probably goes without saying that Buddy's, shall we say, naivety clashes with his father's--again, shall we say--negativity even though he warms over his wife and young son. Along the way, Buddy gets a job as a--what else!--department store elf and winds up getting a love-interest (played by that weird-ass chick on that New Girl show Zoey what's-her-name). It also probably goes without saying that his father finally has enough of Buddy's naive meddling ways and tells him to get out of his life. His young son convinces him to give Buddy another chance and they find him along with Santa Claus--played by the otherwise cantankerous Ed Asner--who's sleigh has crashed in Central Park. Buddy helps Santa reattach the motor on his sleigh and attempts to leave before the mounted police show up. However, Santa informs the young boy how people don't have the Christmas spirit the way they used to. So the kid takes Santa's "naughty & nice" list and recites said list in front of TV cameras that have gathered outside the park to try to convince people that Santa is real. Encouraged by the boy's actions, Buddy's love-interest--played by that Zoey what's-her-name!--encourages the crowd to start singing Christmas carols, namely--again, what else!--Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. This renewed Christmas spirit gives Santa's sleigh the extra push it needs to getting said sleigh back up in the air so he can . . . well, you know! And, of course, everyone lives happily-ever-after! (Were you honestly expecting anything else?) A sidenote: My favorite scene in this flick was the "shower scene" when Buddy and his love-interest sing the old Dean Martin "Christmas" tune "Baby, It's Cold Inside"--which is basically about a guy who's trying to get laid on Christmas (and is probably my pick for all-time Christmas song for, I think, obvious reasons!)!--while she's taking a shower. Of course, she screams when she sees Buddy outside of the shower stall, but I digress. Also, I thought casting Ed Asner as "jolly" Saint Nick was a stroke of genius, as far as I was concerned (and, of course, probably helped to keep this flick from becoming too syrupy like so many other Christmas flicks!)!

THE INCREDIBLES

 

 

The Incredibles is one of my favorite "animated" films of all-time. The movie centers around the lives of a group of former superheroes who are forced to go into "retirement" when the public finally turns on them. Now they live like "normal" people. Or at least they try to. One of the top superheroes, a Superman-type named Mr. Incredible, detests his humdrum life living as a suburban father and husband--he married another superhero named Elastigirl (picture a female Plastic Man)--working as an insurance adjuster. As it turns out, his children all have superpowers of their own, his son has superhuman speed (ala the Flash) and his daughter has multiple powers including being able to turn invisible (ala Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four) and being able to erect forcefields and his baby doesn't have superpowers. Or so everyone believes. Anyway, in a desperate attempt to relive his glory days, Mr. Incredible tries to stop crime incognito with the aid of his superhero pal Ozone--who has the power to freeze things--and by listening to a police scanner. This attracts the attention of a mysterious woman who contacts him and invites him to her private island to take care of a problem with a renegade robot. Mr. Incredible eagerly accepts her invitation and, of course, destroys the renegade robot. This leads him to take even more trips to said private island--all behind his wife's back, of course, who thinks he's going on "business" trips--where he eventually learns of what's really going on as he's confronted by the true owner of the island, a supervillain named Syndrome who, as it turns out, was once a boy whom Mr. Incredible had shunned when he tried to become his "sidekick" ala Robin. It turns out that Mr. Incredible isn't the first former superhero who's been "invited" to the island as each one had been killed by Syndrome and his robots. Meanwhile, Elastigirl finally finds out that her husband hasn't been going on "business" trips as she initially believed and goes out to find him with her superpowered kids in tow. I, of course, won't tell you how it all turns out in case you're one of the few people who hasn't seen this flick yet. But, even if you're not a big fan of superhero flicks, I believe you'll more than likely be a fan of this one! A sidenote: My favorite scene in this flick is when Elastigirl tells her children when they wind up on the island that the "bad guys" they're confronting won't show them "mercy" like the bad guys they watched on their Saturday morning cartoons because they're children and that they will kill them if they get the chance. She then tells me to not give said bad guys that chance before she goes off in search of their father who's being held hostage by Syndrome. I thought that was a pretty hardcore scene for an "animated" flick like this. I'm also kind of surprised, given how popularity of this film, that they've never made a sequel to this film, although I can't see them topping the original!

BLIND FURY

 

 

Blind Fury is a flick about a blind white samurai-type guy played by Rutger Hauer (who starred in the earlier-reviewed The Hitcher). In the film, Hauer's character is blinded while serving in Vietnam and is rescued by some local villagers, one of whom teaches him how to fight with a sword. (Yeah, I know,  but go with me on this one, alright?) Years later, he searches for one of his old army buddies and finds out that he's gone missing. While visiting his wife, he rescues his friend's young son after his mother is killed by the very same thugs who kidnapped his buddy. (Again, I know, but still go with me on this one, OK?) Rutger's character takes his pal's son in search of his father who's been kidnapped by some big-time drug dealers and being forced to make designer drugs. (Once again, I know, but STILL go with me on this one, all rightie?) As one might expect, there's a huge sword fight towards the end of the flick between Hauer and--wait for it!--an Asian samurai-type guy. And guess who wins? One thing about the fight scene I found rather interesting is that the Asian swordsman--spoiler alert!--gets sliced in half ala Darth Maul in the Star Wars "prequel" The Phantom Menace. (Hmmm, I wonder!) Anyway, Blind Fury is an entertaining little film to watch--released back in 1990, I believe it has since gone on to become a "cult" classic--if you, for one, enjoy watching samurai flicks as I do, and two, you're able to suspend disbelief BIG time. A sidenote: The funniest scene in the movie is when Rutger's character drives a van--he's a blind guy driving a car; get it?--and, when the driver of the car he nearly hits pulls up alongside of him and asks him if he were blind, Hauer's character turns his head in the driver's direction and grins and says that he is, adding, "What's your excuse?" Hilarious, isn't it?



DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS

 

 

Dinner For Schmucks is a rather screwball comedy starring Paul Rudd and Steve Carrell and is one of the funniest flicks I've seen in a while. In the flick, Paul Rudd plays an ambitious banker or financial advisor or whatever the hell his character actually is who agrees to find a "candidate" for a "special" dinner put on by his company's higher-ups where everyone brings the biggest idiots--or "schmucks"--they can find so they can--you guessed it!--make fun of them in order to get a much-coveted promotion. Then, after assuring his girlfriend--whom he suspects may be having an affair with this whacky-ass "artist" who's showing his "work" at her art gallery--he won't go through with the rather mean-spirited dinner, he runs into Steve Carrell's character--literally--with his car when he's trying to pick up a dead mouse on the road to incorporate into one of his dead mouse dioramas. Seeing an opportunity, Rudd's character reneges on his promise to his girlfriend and decides to "invite" Steve's character to the dinner. However, he soon regrets his decision as Steve's character shows up at his place and proceeds to upend his entire life in the most hilarious ways. I, of course, won't spoil everything for you, though I will say there's a hilariously kinky encounter with a former rather psychotic woman whom Paul's character had a one night stand with before he met his current girlfriend played by Lucy Church (who co-starred in the earlier-reviewed Bad Teacher). I also won't spoil the "dinner" itself except that, among numerous other hilarious things, Steve's character has a "showdown" with his equally-schmucky boss who "stole" his ex-wife played by Zach Whatthefuckishisname (i.e. the fuzzy-faced crazy-ass guy from those Hangover movies). Overall, Dinner For Schmucks is hilarious, mean-spirited and even--dare I say it!--heartwarming. (Now there's a word you rarely--if ever!--see on this blog!)

THE OPPONENT

 

 

The Opponent is a Lifetime-flick-meets-Million-Dollar-Baby-meets-The-Wrestler. The film stars Erika Eleniak (of Baywatch and Playboy fame) as a would-be female boxer. To tell the truth, I initially watched this flick pretty much to see a buffed-up Erika beat the living crap out of other buffed-up chicks (I'm perverted that way!). But, I must say, I was actually surprised at how much I got into watching this film. The movie is low-budget and the plot is pretty simple: To help escape an abusive relationship, Erika's character turns to boxing with the help of a "hunky" former boxer who owns a rundown gym. Along the way, Erika decides to turn pro in spite of the reservations of her trainer (who--of course!--becomes her lover). It's kind of like Million Dollar Baby except that Erika Eleniak is no Hillary Swank--though she is a capable actress in her own right (in spite of the fact that she's a former Baywatch babe)--and she doesn't get paralyzed in a fight and end up getting euthanized by Clint "Mr. Chair Talker" Eastwood. The scenes in the gym--where about three-fourths of the film takes place--seems pretty realistic to the point where you can almost smell the grime and the sweat. The fight training scenes also seem pretty realistic kind of like the earlier-reviewed The Wrestler. The flick does at times seem like your average Lifetime flick, especially the scenes with Erika's character and her abusive boyfriend who's about as one-dimensional as they come. However, it's a surprisingly pretty decent little film overall in spite of its obvious flaws. And, yes, we do get to see Erika's, shall we say, surgically-enhanced boobage--the way we usually do in her flicks, by the way--during the obligatory love scene with her "hunky" trainer. Just thought you'd like to know!  

A CHRISTMAS SNOW

 

 

Regular readers of this blog (God help you!) will undoubtedly know that I'm not a big fan of overly-inspirational films, including--but not limited to!--Christmas-themed movies. However, after watching A Christmas Snow (I know, not the most inspired movie title ever!), I decided to make an exception. A Christmas Snow is one of those "independently-released" flicks released by one of these "religious-themed" movie companies. Anyway, the premise of the film is simple enough: three people are stranded together in an apartment on a snowy Christmas Eve. The woman whose apartment they're stranded in is a cynical restaurateur (played by Catherine Mary-Stewart) who--gasp!--doesn't celebrate Christmas ever since her father--double gasp!--ran out on her and her mother on--triple gasp!--Christmas Eve. Stranded with her are a kind-hearted homeless older man--played by the raspy-voiced guy who plays Mark Harmon's mentor on the popular TV show NCIS--whom she takes in after he helps her out with some hooligans along with the rather bratty younger daughter of her soon-to-be-fiance. Anyway, as you might've already guessed, the woman comes to grips with her past and learns to get along with her fiance's rather bratty daughter and get into the Christmas spirit with--of course!--the help of the kindly homeless man. This theme has, it probably goes without saying, been mined countless times before in countless other Christmas flicks that you can see on the Hallmark channel at practically any given moment. What I think sets A Christmas Snow apart is that it doesn't get as schmaltzy or overly-sentimental as some--or most--of these other Christmas flicks. There's also, as one might expect, religious aspects to the film, especially when the homeless man tells the cynical woman about his religious conversion. But it's not as in-your-face about it as some--or most--religious-themed flicks I've seen. There's also a supernatural twist towards the end of the film that I thought was a nice twist. So, if you're a "Scrooge" like yours truly and you are not otherwise a big fan of these type of movies and your significant others in your life pester you about wanting to watch a Christmas film around the holiday and you don't want to watch the umpteenth rerun of It's A Wonderful Life (which, needless to say, you WON'T see "reviewed" on this blog!), this might make a nice alternative.