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Viewed: Season 3

I have something of a strange relationship with The Boys. As much as I admire the show for a myriad of reasons, I can't say I'm ever necessarily compelled to binge it or watch it on a weekly basis; instead, I just watch episodes here and there when I have time, rather than making time to watch several episodes because I'm hooked. Still, this isn't to impugn the show as a whole, as I still quite like it, and the third season is extremely solid. It retains the polished, cinema-level production values we have come to expect from the series, the story remains interesting, and the season's secret weapon is Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy. The overarching Soldier Boy arc is compelling, and it has gotten to the point where I'm not sure which of the main characters will actually survive at this point in the show, which amps up the tension a hundredfold during the key showdowns. There are some standout episodes in this season, including the iconic "Herogasm" which will be referenced for many years to come, and there are some truly memorable scenes such as one involving a shrinking man entering his gay lover's genitals. To say more and spoil the secrets within would be unthinkable. I still love the cast, especially Karl Urban who remains a note-perfect Billy Butcher, while Anthony Starr is formidable as Homelander. The only downfall of this season, in my mind, is the way it starts to pander to progressive politics, wandering into issues that are too complicated and controversial by simply repeating talking points from both sides without going into any true nuance. This is minor, however. It's a shame that the wait time between seasons of this show remains so long. Bring on the fourth season!

First Viewing Plot: The Groundhog tells the story of how, for once, Jack Frost became human, and helped a knight win his lady love.

I finished off last year's Christmastime viewings with a Rankin/Bass TV special, so it felt only appropriate to sneak another one in on Christmas Eve this year - especially since I hadn't watched any Rankin/Bass this year. I would say that 1979's Jack Frost is another Rankin/Bass "big hitter" that I probably should've sought out some time ago, and it's nice to finally cross it off my list after so many years. A stop-motion animated television special from the late 1970s, this is another charming and often amusing Rankin/Bass production which recounts another age-old Christmas tale based on folklore. The animation is not impressive by 2022's standards, and it might not be accessible to those accustomed to the slick, polished computer animation of current year, but the accomplishment for the time remains laudable - especially given the optical effects to make Jack appear transparent, or the effects when things are frozen. I also liked the voice cast (I can see why Chris Pine was cast to voice Jack in 2012's Rise of the Guardians - he sounds similar to the voice actor here), and the narrative being told by a groundhog is utterly adorable. It's still somewhat dated, but this iteration of Jack Frost is still a good watch; it's better than the '90s Michael Keaton movie, and it's better than the dreadful horror film reimagining.

Viewed: All episodes

I've been meaning to watch this one for several years, especially since I wrote a script for an Australian Christmas movie, but, due to my prevailing interest in films, it was not a priority. As it turns out, however, A Moody Christmas was perfect viewing for my Christmas Eve, and I gladly binged all six episodes in a single sitting. Rather than building up to a single Christmas like a movie would do, each half-hour episode of A Moody Christmas is set on Christmas, showing the Christmas Day festivities for another year. In other words, it cuts right to the chase and I greatly appreciated how refreshing that felt. The attention to detail is staggering here, from the decor of a typical Australian home, to the types of festive decorations we expect to see, and even the costume choices (lots of thongs and sandals, one character has white joggers and white socks all the time, and the daggy Christmas outfits ring true). The show always feels authentic, and incorporates many of my country's holiday traditions, from carols in the park to wearing paper crowns from bonbons at Christmas lunch, and all manner of alcoholic beverages complete with stubby holders. The characters also feel real, though some characters are somewhat archetypal and broad by design. The narrative through-line relates to Dan Moody, who flies from London to Sydney every Christmas to dutifully visit his immediate family, and has feelings for Cora, who is often in a relationship with his cousin. The progression of the family throughout the years is fun to see, and I grew extremely attached to the characters and invested in their personal lives - by the end, I knew their names and felt like I came to know them as people, rather than characters. How fortunate, then, that I still have an additional eight episodes about this family to watch in the new year. Some aspects of the story don't sit right, include an awkward side plot involving a homeless person who steals from the family without consequences, not to mention Annie Maynard's Ukrainian accent is cartoonish at best, but the show still has far more successes than failures. It's funny and touching, and accurately depicts what life is like in Australia during the Christmas period. I've since purchased the DVD and I look forward to watching it again and again.

First Viewing Plot: Over six years, the Moody family gather for Christmas in Sydney, Australia.

I've been meaning to watch this one for several years, especially since I wrote a script for an Australian Christmas movie, but, due to my prevailing interest in films, it was not a priority. As it turns out, however, A Moody Christmas was perfect viewing for my Christmas Eve, and I gladly binged all six episodes in a single sitting. Rather than building up to a single Christmas like a movie would do, each half-hour episode of A Moody Christmas is set on Christmas, showing the Christmas Day festivities for another year. In other words, it cuts right to the chase and I greatly appreciated how refreshing that felt. The attention to detail is staggering here, from the decor of a typical Australian home, to the types of festive decorations we expect to see, and even the costume choices (lots of thongs and sandals, one character has white joggers and white socks all the time, and the daggy Christmas outfits ring true). The show always feels authentic, and incorporates many of my country's holiday traditions, from carols in the park to wearing paper crowns from bonbons at Christmas lunch, and all manner of alcoholic beverages complete with stubby holders. The characters also feel real, though some characters are somewhat archetypal and broad by design. The narrative through-line relates to Dan Moody, who flies from London to Sydney every Christmas to dutifully visit his immediate family, and has feelings for Cora, who is often in a relationship with his cousin. The progression of the family throughout the years is fun to see, and I grew extremely attached to the characters and invested in their personal lives - by the end, I knew their names and felt like I came to know them as people, rather than characters. How fortunate, then, that I still have an additional eight episodes about this family to watch in the new year. Some aspects of the story don't sit right, include an awkward side plot involving a homeless person who steals from the family without consequences, not to mention Annie Maynard's Ukrainian accent is cartoonish at best, but the show still has far more successes than failures. It's funny and touching, and accurately depicts what life is like in Australia during the Christmas period. I can't wait to buy the DVD and watch it again.

First Viewing Plot: An angel comes to Earth to help a preacher save his church and his family.

A '90s remake of The Bishop's Wife (which was part of last year's Christmas movie lineup), this festive movie from late director Penny Marshall is packed with heart and heartwarming messages, but suffers from an unnecessarily overlong running time. The surface details of The Preacher's Wife are undoubtedly lovely, as the cast is sensational and the cinematography is frequently beautiful, not to mention there's ample Christmas imagery to put you in the Christmas spirit. The songs, too, are certainly enjoyable, including some singing by the late great Whitney Houston. It's a worthwhile story which acknowledges the work done by the titular preacher, but emphasises the importance of putting family first and approaching the work with more sincerity. However, despite running at over two hours, I felt that the final transformation happened almost without the audience and should have received more development. This is rushed in order to get to the final 20 or so minutes in the church, with the climactic speech and musical numbers which are a bit much. Nevertheless, despite the movie's shortcomings, I enjoyed watching The Preacher's Wife and I'm glad to have another Christmas title crossed off my list.

First Viewing Plot: More animated stories featuring Mickey and the gang which are all about the spirit of Christmas and opening your heart.

With the success of Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas in 1999, it's unsurprising that a sequel followed a few years later. Another straight-to-video title, Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas actually presents each story with 3D animation as opposed to the more traditional hand-drawn Disney style. It does take some adjusting, and the animation is very primitive given that this is a made-for-video animated film from the early 2000s, but it still works - only just. The characters still carry their classic appearances and the voice cast remain rock-solid right down the line. The stories are similar to the first movie in the sense that they reinforce heartwarming messages about the meaning of the Christmas season and the importance of being fundamentally good to others. I didn't find the stories as funny or as touching in this sequel; the opening segment is a bit rocky, in particular. But it still has heart and I enjoyed the movie for the most part - plus, it's short and sweet.

First Viewing Plot: A horror film that depicts St. Nicholas as a murderous bishop who kidnaps and murders children when there is a full moon on December 5.

Saint is, I believe, the first time that Christmas traditions in the Netherlands have been explored and depicted in a feature film. And this occurs within the context of a gory horror movie, rather than a more traditional festive flick designed to get you in the Christmas spirit. I mean, not even the well-meaning Claus Family movies faithfully portrayed the Dutch festive season, instead relying on the Americanized depiction but filtered through a European lens. Anyway, Saint is a damn good horror movie in its own right; it's atmospheric and nicely executed, with strong special effects and gory kill scenes. The lore and mythology pertaining to Sinterklaas is extremely intriguing, making this a nice break from the normal festive horror movies featuring a killer wearing a Santa Claus outfit. The film is also short and sweet, coming in at a scant 86 minutes including credits. The scope is slightly restricted which is understandable as this isn't a major production, and it leaves you wanting to see more of this world and the demonic Sinterklaas who emerges for a killing spree whenever a full moon occurs on the night of December 5th. I can't say the character work is exactly strong, and the character of Goert is a bit of a cliché, but we aren't looking for a reinvention of the horror genre here. It won't put you in the Christmas spirit, but I enjoyed Saint and would gladly watch it again.

First Viewing Plot: Three heartwarming Christmas stories featuring your favourite Disney characters.

I wasn't aware that this one existed, and only found it while browsing for Christmas titles on Disney+. Running for scarcely an hour, and brought to life with the same spirited 2D animation that defines Disney titles of this era, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas is a festive delight. Three short stories are presented here which involve iconic Disney characters, and each story has something worthwhile to say about the spirit of the holidays. I smiled throughout the majority of the runtime, and the stories are often touching without becoming overly cloying. It's surprising that this was designed as a straight-to-video title, as it has the gravitas and style of a big-screen animated feature, but I guess the short runtime precluded it from being sent to cinemas. (It's almost a shame they didn't add one more story to beef up the runtime - but, then again, a potential fourth story might have been below-par, so I'm happy with what we have.) Since there are three stories, pacing is not an issue and we move onto the next segment before a story is given the chance to become boring. I can definitely see myself rewatching Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas in future years.

First Viewing Plot: The troubled Vuillard family is no stranger to illness, grief, and banishment, but when their matriarch requires a bone-marrow transplant, the estranged clan reunites just in time for Christmas.

I believe that A Christmas Tale is officially the last "big hitter" Christmas movie that has been on my list for years and years. I believe it first came across my radar over 10 years ago, but I never got to it until now. Frankly, however, I expected something better. I wouldn't say that this is a bad movie per se, but it is an agonizingly long one at 2.5 hours - and it was a slog to get through. It's only intermittently involving, and I still sometimes struggled to keep tabs of the characters despite how much time we spend with them. It has a strong opening act before it gives over to utter monotony, though the actors do give it their all and it still looks lovely from an aesthetic standpoint. The Christmas setting is somewhat incidental as this is mainly a story about a sick matriarch bringing her family together, and it's easy to see why the marketing department played up the Christmas angle - to get more suckers like me to watch it. I checked my watch consistently while watching it, and I don't feel inclined to watch it again or add it to my annual rotation.

First Viewing Plot: On Christmas Eve, bitter old miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by spirits who aim to show him the error of his ways and repent for his wrongdoings.

I'm reasonably sure that the number of adaptations of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol number in the thousands by now, and yet we still manage to get a new film or television series adaptation every year or so. I had little-to-no-hope for 2022's Scrooge: A Christmas Carol, which is Netflix's new animated retelling of the oft-repeated story but is actually, surprisingly, presented as more of a remake of the 1970 musical Scrooge instead of another adaptation of the novella. To my surprise, I greatly enjoyed this one. Out of all the versions of A Christmas Carol that I've watched this December, this is my favourite so far. Chief among the movie's strengths is that it doesn't rely on the dry Old English dialogue from the novella, and doesn't repeat the same lines we've heard literally hundreds of times before. Therefore, it's more accessible and flows better than other film adaptations, while also making this a worthwhile version for children to watch. The visual style also deserves a mention, as the animation is truly gorgeous. It's not highly detailed and approaching photorealism like Robert Zemeckis's animated endeavours; rather, it's appropriately stylised, and the visual touches peppered throughout the movie ensure it's a consistently engaging viewing experience. The musical numbers which are interspersed throughout (which are from the 1970 film with Albert Finney) are high-energy and well-executed. It's easy to discern that the creative team were attempting to produce a Pixar-esque retelling of the story, complete with heart and emotion in addition to the colorful character designs. It can't reach the lofty heights of Pixar's best work, but it's an impressive achievement all-round nevertheless, even though it still doesn't necessarily feel essential considering how many times this story has been told. All things considered, however, I'm glad that Scrooge: A Christmas Carol was made and I'm glad I took the time to watch it. I seem to be in the minority with how much I enjoyed it, but that's okay.

First Viewing Plot: Fed up with being single on holidays, two strangers agree to be each other's platonic plus-ones all year long, only to catch real feelings along the way.

I am shocked at how much I enjoyed Holidate, especially considered the factors working against it. After all, the director was also responsible for Deck the Halls, and the screenwriter has nothing much of worth to her name. But, lo and behold, I laughed heartily and frequently from the beginning, and was enjoying it so much that I almost didn't want it to end. The secret weapon of this movie is Australian actor Luke Bracey, who's allowed to play a brash Australian; his bantering and one-liners are hilarious, and he's allowed to be masculine and confident which is a refreshing thing in the 2020s. Indeed, the script doesn't seek to humiliate or emasculate him, and he almost always comes out on top when bantering with Emma Roberts. Wow! Also helping is the R rating, which allows for colourful language and profanity - some of the sexually explicit dialogue made me laugh heartily, and is not the type of thing I normally expect to hear in a rom-com. The surface-level attributes of the production are strong, to boot; it looks slick and lovely in 4K HDR on Netflix, with vibrant visuals, and each season and event takes on a different look in terms of lighting and colour palette, which is something else I didn't expect from a rom-com like this. It is predictable and clichéd, of course, and the outcome of the story is not surprising in any way, but the movie is so much fun that it hardly matters. In this sense, it feels like a rom-com from the '90s or early 2000s, as opposed to something from 2020. All in all, I glad I gave this one a watch and I could see myself watching it again.