Movie Review - Dear Secret Santa

Dear Secret Santa

2013

The Cast

This is the Christmas version of The Lake House with a magic wishing well thrown in.  After receiving a call that her father has fallen, Jennifer rushes back to her childhood home where she starts to learn a few truths about herself.  Then one night she throws a coin into the wishing well and wishes for true love.  The next morning she finds a Christmas Card waiting for her in the mailbox and it's signed Secret Santa.  There's another card the following morning so she sets out to find out who her Secret Santa is.  She quickly realises it's none of the men she suspects and as the days pass and the cards keep arriving she comes to the conclusion that the sender is Jack, the boy next door.  The bad thing is Jack died three years previously in a car accident.

Though this is a touching story, especially in respect to Jennifer and her fathers strained relationship, and romantic, with the paranormal letter writing, there are a few things which stop this from being a great movie.  Though it was nice to see Ali in gold lingerie after her hospital gown gets caught in a door, the scene isn't needed as it adds nothing to the film and there's no other similar "Bawdy" jokes in the movie - had it been a "Carry On" film this scene would have been spot on, but is just awkward here.  Another awkward scene is when Jennifer goes to meet an author on the paranormal (especially probable time-travel).  This is because the scene feels rushed and thrown in just so Della Reese can make an appearance.  It's Jennifer's unquestioning belief in the time-travel theory which doesn't sit right in my claw.  This is made more awkward when Reece's character starts to belittle her own work in the field.  Once again, this is another superfluous scene.  Had it been better written it could have added a little more depth to the tale.

That said, on the whole, this is a very good and heartwarming story that is well acted and nicely filmed.  If you like romance, Christmas, and heartwarming family dramas then this will be for you.  It is well worth one watch and has made it onto my "Watch Again" list - though I may have to have a couple of years between viewings.

I give this a time-travelling seasonal 7 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - Destruction: Las Vegas

Destruction: Las Vegas

2013

Brainstorm Media

NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution

2.25 / 10

This is one of the worst posters I've ever seen and the movie is one of the worst I've ever seen - The poster says it all.

I love disaster movies, they're one of my favourite forms of light entertainment.  They are full of improbable probabilities about the future of our planet; that at their best, make us take note and think, what if(?)  At their worst, they usually make you laugh, even though it's unintentional.

So when I read that the writer, Meyer Shwarzstein with screenwriters Joe D'Ambrosia and Tom Teves had added a fantasy element I thought I'd give it a go...

The mistake was mine.  My imagination had already given life to the synopsis...  The film falls woefully short in every way.

Firstly, the acting was so awful I was wishing the cast would die off quicker.  Even Frankie Muniz, who has proved he can act was terrible.  The only decent actor in the whole film was Barry Bostwick who does a great job of portraying a constant gin drinking, wash-up, slightly sleazy, lounge piano player.  It's because of Bostwick the film got the rating it did from me.

Secondly, the director handles the story material ludicrously.  There is no way anybody is going to believe any of this modern fantasy tale.  I know it's meant to be lighthearted and comedic but it even misses here.  There are too many holes and continuity errors that are glaringly obvious, as well as some impossible situations.  These are evident in other disaster films, though in this movie they are less forgivable because of how the story is handled.  The pace and flow are so muddled it gives the movie a disjointed feel.

Thirdly, the special effects, are way below average.  Though most movies of this ilk are low-budget the effects are usually well created and carried out to maximise the power and atmosphere of destruction.  However, in this film they are so unrealistic my attention was actually broken, as I shook my head in disgust.

The writers and directors of this film should have watched Sharknado and others of a similar vein; then they would've had some idea on how to handle the subject material.

I couldn't in all good conscience recommend this film to anyone.  Though if you find yourself kidnapped by Jigsaw and forced to watch this movie then you can take some solace in the fact that at least Barry Bostwick may keep you from going insane...