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Godzilla Minus One, Silent Night, Candy Cane Lane, The Shift
Candy Cane Lane **1/2
Few holiday traditions are as enduring as the high-concept “What Really Matters” fantasy movie, from Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life through Jingle All the Way and Elf; it’s all about whether the plot shenanigans provide ample distraction from the heart-warming but predictable platitudes about the true meaning of Christmas. This one casts Eddie Murphy as Chris Carver, a recently-laid-off dad determined to salvage Christmas by winning the big prize available for a neighborhood holiday decorations contest—which unfortunately means agreeing to a tricky deal with a banished renegade elf (Jillian Bell).
Chronicling the creation of a notoriously bad piece of TV history
In 1978, looking to keep the pop-culture phenomenon of Star Wars in the public consciousness between feature films, George Lucas gave the green light to a TV special featuring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and other original cast members. The result was The Star Wars Holiday Special, a weird combination of Wookiee mythology, variety-show structure and animated Boba Fett that became one of the most notoriously bad creations in televition history.
Dream Scenario ***
This certainly isn’t the first time a filmmaker has tried to mimic a Charlie Kaufman-esque vibe in a high-concept premise, but it’s one of the rare cases that seems to grasp the melancholy undergirding so many Kaufman narratives. Writer/director Kristoffer Borgli tells the story of Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage), a university biology professor who abruptly finds himself becoming famous—and eventually infamous—when he starts making appearances in people’s dreams around the world.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, May December, Trolls Band Together and more
Dashing Through the Snow **
There’s a certain kind of modern holiday comedy that takes what’s already a tired high-concept emotional hook—the protagonist who needs to learn What Really Matters—and assumes the spirit of the season will do all the heavy lifting for a dopey script. “Humbug,” I say.
Veteran Idaho-native comedian headlines his-first ever arena show
On Nov. 24, Idaho native Ryan Hamilton—who launched his professional career playing Salt Lake City comedy clubs—gets his first-ever show headlining an arena when he plays at the Delta Center.
The Marvels, The Holdovers, The Killer, Albert Brooks: Defending My Life
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life **1/2
Near the end of this documentary profile of comedian/actor/filmmaker Albert Brooks, we get a clip from the Curb Your Enthusiasm episode in which Brooks, playing himself, watches his own “fake funeral” so that he can hear everyone say wonderful things about him. It’s not really Brooks’ fault that this movie feels a lot like a version of that concept that doesn’t go south on him, directed by his buddy-since-high-school Rob Reiner as a celebration of Brooks’ innovative comedic voice.
A fact-based story turns into a funny, thoughtful exploration of change
As Pygmalion Theatre Company’s production of The Half-Life of Marie Curie opens, a monologue by the celebrated chemist herself (Stephanie Howell) makes it clear that the “half-life” referenced in the title isn’t in any sense a diminishment.
