Ten movies later, and “A Cinderella Story” continues to push forward as a franchise that is mainly just a vehicle for young up and coming female Disney stars. After Hilary Duff came and went, portraying a contemporary take on the fairytale, the series stomped on and now introduces a Christmas themed romance. It’s tough to review “Christmas Wish” as it’s mainly aimed toward teens that love this kind of sickly sweet Christmas muck. It’s basically like a greeting card with a pre-written message on it. It’s predictable, formula, and kind of hard to criticize.
Tag Archives: Romance
The Fare (2019)
A cab driver and his fare are seemingly stuck in a time loops until they figure out why they are there and how they may be connected.
TV On DVD: The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Series – [Limited Edition Blu-Ray/Digital]
I’ve been one of the loudest and ardent defenders of “The Big Bang Theory” since it premiered and I’ve remained a fan for many years. I don’t own any of the merchandise, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the series, and have purchased a few of the seasons here and there. While it lost me after season ten, I still find “The Big Bang Theory” to be a fun, often funny, and engaging sitcom with that comfort food sensibility that’s helped make other sitcoms so celebrated. Judge me all you want, but I loved “The Big Bang Theory” well in to its run on CBS, and enjoy it every now and then on cable. After twelve seasons and a successful spin off, “The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Series” is now on DVD and Blu-Ray in a cozy boxed set, and a Limited Edition Flat Box set with assorted bells and whistles.
An American Werewolf in London (1981): Special Limited Edition [Blu-Ray]
John Landis’ werewolf thriller is a hard film to pigeon hole. It’s not exactly a horror movie, not exactly a comedy, and not entirely a drama. It is in fact a unique beast and amalgam of various genres that’s managed to remain absolutely timeless since its initial release. The fact that Landis breaks so many of the tropes of the werewolf film while also embracing the classic mythos of the monster is what makes “An American Werewolf in London” such a masterpiece.
Blinded by the Light (2019) [Blu-Ray/Digital]
Gurinder Chadha is a very unique voice in the film world who always manages to lend a much needed voice to cultures we don’t usually see too much of in mainstream film. “Bend it Like Beckham” was a crowd pleasing comedy drama about cultural conformity and societal pressures, and “Blinded By the Light” follows the same basic platform. I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece, but at the end of Chadha’s comedy drama musical, I found it to be a pleasant diversion with one hell of a great soundtrack. I admit while the film didn’t stick with me, I spent the rest of the night humming Springsteen’s songs in my head.
Let it Snow (2019)
I’m no misanthrope, but it’s tough to find great new Christmas movies, even though Hollywood does keep trying no matter what. I went in with low expectations with “Let It Snow” but took the chance thanks to the great cast, and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s hard to remember a Christmas movie that feels so down to Earth and unassuming than “Let It Snow.” It has every chance to be so saccharine and cloying, but it instead insists on a very sweet and engaging tone with some genuinely engaging characters.
The Swan Princess (1994): 25th Anniversary [Blu-ray]
In the nineties, many American movie studios were trying to beat Disney at their game by basically—mimicking everything that made their movies a hit. They didn’t try to rewrite the rules until the early aughts; before then we had a bunch of movies that were basically D grade copies of Disney hits. Richard Rich is a once Disney animator who tries his best to riff on Disney, taking a classic fairy tale and adding about every trope from the Disney list you can imagine, right down to funny talking animals. What he forgets is entertainment and a sense of life.