Christmas Movies

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is watching all my favorite Christmas movies, while eating candy canes and drinking hot chocolate of course.

Eloise at Christmastime

Eloise is my favorite, and not just because Eloise is my middle name. She's a rambunctious kid with endless confidence and sparkly style. Her pink Christmas tree, jingle bell accessories, and carol spreading antics create an entertaining story that emulates the Christmas spirit.

Julie Andrews plays her nanny, and she is perfection as always. She tries to keep track of Eloise, which is no easy task but she handles it with her usual charm and an imagination to match Eloise. And honestly, who wouldn't want to celebrate Christmas with Julie Andrews?

And then there's Bill, Eloise's waiter friend who sings show tunes and has candy cane duels with her. It's so cute to see Eloise trying to set Bill up with Rachel, the boss's daughter. It's also interesting to see what Eloise could grow up to be, since Rachel also grew up in the Plaza.

Polar Express

This beautifully animated story has a gorgeous soundtrack and a heartfelt theme. The children in this movie are all trying to believe in something, whether it be Santa or a chance at happiness. They embark on an epic journey on Christmas Eve that involves trains, hot chocolate, personalized tickets, jingle bells, elves, and of course Santa.

I can't wait to watch this movie again, it really shows the spirit of Christmas. Whether you focus on Santa, love, or just believing in something, the story can appeal to anyone.

Elf

This Christmas movie brings the childhood excitement about Santa into the adult world. A full grown adult, Will Ferrell, acts like a small child which creates that trademark Elf humor. He gets everyone else excited for Christmas, which is fun to watch since they're all kind of dragged down by the consumer aspect of the holidays.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

The classic children's story is turned into something much bigger with Jim Carey.

I love all the subtle adult jokes slipped into a children's story. It makes this movie for everyone, no matter the age.

Cindy Lou Who is adorable. Her family's shenanigans, the mayor's ridiculousness, and the Grinch's past all make up a fun story.

And honestly, the Grinch is a lot easier to relate to than the funny little who's and their craziness. He just wants to sleep, eat when he's bored, and avoid his relatives. Who can't relate to that?

And in the end, you remember the spirit of Christmas and what it's all about.

Home Alone

Amidst all the fire setting, booby tapping, movie quoting antics, this movie shows the importance of family during the holidays. Kevin gets left home one Christmas, and on the wrong flight the next. Hopefully, the third Christmas they can just stay home to insure no one gets lost.

Kevin learns to appreciate his family. He defends his house, buys groceries, and watches forbidden movies. Eventually he misses his parents, and even his siblings.

Santa Claus

This movie came out in the early 90s and has all the classic 90s charm. Tim Allen goes from a cranky divorced dad to Santa Claus. He couldn't have done it without the adorable Charlie and his persistent belief in his dad.

Scott Calvin grows into his new job, gaining weight and a massive sweet tooth. Being Santa helps him become a good dad to Charlie, though he is still a sassy Santa.

His elves give him red pajamas, tell him how to be Mr Claus, and spring him out of jail. His family accepts his new life and Charlie gets to be a Santa in training.

Whatever your favorite Christmas movie, enjoy the holiday spirit.

Merry Christmas!

Shadowhunters Review

As a huge fan of everything written by Cassandra Clare, I was beyond excited when The Mortal Instruments movie came out. When that clearly wasn't going to lead to a sequel, I didn't expect to see any more demon fighting redheads on the big screen.

But that all changed with Shadowhunters.

The show is separate from the movie, starting at the beginning instead of being a continuation. They take the shadow world and make it their own, adjusting it to television and adapting to the modern age.

The result is impressive. They have all the main characters fighting the same battles that made us speed read the books, while also adding their own flare to it.

I loved the world inverted episode. Like the dream they experience while exploring the demon realm in the last book, we see a world that could have been. What kind of people would they be if they weren't shadowhunters? Did shadowhunting really bring out Isabelle's confidence and stunt Alec's personality? Was it obsessing over angels and demons that turned Valentine into a psycho? Probably.

What's great about this show is it not only includes so many favorite moments form the books, but it explores the world of shadowhunting in a classic media entertainment kind of way.

There are differences, for sure. In an age of raging social media and technology, the institute became a shiny tech center. It made sense to me, why go the Harry Potter route of banning technology when you can use it to make your life easier?

They also included tidbits from The Infernal Devices series. Lydia is a completely new character, descendent of Henry Branwell and Charlotte Fairchild. I'm pretty sure Henry took Charlotte's name, but we'll let that slide. There were also references made to Tessa, and Camille was a bigger character from the beginning instead of showing up later.

One of the bigger differences was the age. In the books, Clary's journey begins just before her 16th birthday. The show starts with her 18th birthday. It directed the show towards a slightly older audience, while also giving the main characters less ties to the mundane world (like high school).

As repetitive as Clary got, I really liked her. She tells Simon that finding out she's a shadowhunter feels right, which makes sense with her toughness and determination. She's willing to do whatever it takes and quickly adapts the fighting demons. But she's also adorable, especially when she and Simon are being all bestie like. Out of all the relationships on the show, their friendship felt the most real.

Isabelle is fantastic in the show. I definitely loved her in the books, but she takes some getting used to. It takes her a while to warm up to Clary and really open up. In the show, she is happier and more accepting. She's fiercely protective of her family and isn't afraid to shake things up. She is hands down my favorite character and I love what Emeraude Toubia did with her. All hail the queen of perfect lipstick and fabulous hair.

I wasn't as happy with Magnus's character in the show. He wasn't as quirky and timeless as he comes across in the books. He was odd and entertaining, but both he and Jace have this dry mirth to them that is really difficult to transfer to the screen for some reason.

I can't wait to see what they do with the second season. The trailer for it looks amazing, and they are definitely stepping it up a notch. I'm hoping for better dialogue, more impressive cinematography, and deeper character development. There will be more characters from the books popping up, and maybe some new inventions from the screenwriters as well. 

Counting down to January. 

Live Musicals: Grease and Hairspray

It started with Grease, now we have Hairspray, what will be the next live musical?

This new trend is such a fun way to combine film and theatre. They have the numbers from the movies that most people know and love, then some aspects of the original musicals that make these stories so incredible.

Grease live was so fun, partly because the movie was made back in the 70s, which made the modern making of it so cool. 

The singing was beautiful, the dancing was on point, and the set was amazing.


Julianne Hough made Sandy endearingly sweet without being annoying. Vanessa Hudgens made Rizzo so tough and vulnerable. And Keke Palmer turned Marty from a minor character to a goddess in sequins with serious costume changing skills.

Marty has always been my favorite because of she's so cool, especially the way Keke Palmer played her. Her rendition of "Freddy My Love" is gorgeous and sultry, from nightgown to evening gown and back.

Marty's smirks, Rizzo's sarcasm, and Frenchie's optimism make Sandy's naive sweetness stand out even more.

I loved Rizzo's elvis dance, and I especially loved the use of Julianne Hough's dance experience in the cheer-off.

Speaking of all the wonderful ladies in Grease, the women in Hairspray had some amazing moments as well.

I loved the addition of numbers like "Mama I'm a Big Girl Now" and "Cooties". Both songs feature Dove Cameron's beautiful sultry voice. I love how she got to play Kristin Chenoweth's daughter again, they are a fantastic mother-daughter duo.  Kristin Chenoweth is absolute perfection in everything she does.

Maddie Baillio was the new girl on set, and she was adorable. She played Tracy with a lovely sweetness in addition to that trademark Tracy enthusiasm.

And then we have Ariana Grande, the sexy tiny Latina with the huge voice. Her awkwardness was everything Penny should be. She was perfect. It was also fun to hear her adjust her voice to the broadway style.

Her flat jokes, flailing, and nerdiness cracked me up. I was disappointed by the portrayal of Penny in the movie version, but they definitely got it right this time.

Like Grease Live, Hairspray Live had some technical difficulties. There were some sound issues, along with the lights going out on poor Maddie during her big opening number. Forgot to pay the bills, perhaps?

And of course, there's Jennifer Hudson. She is the only woman on this Earth who could have followed Queen Latifa in such an iconic role. She is a goddess. That is all.

I love all these live musicals. I'm hoping it continues, fingers crossed for Wicked!