The Tameside Radio presenter and our film fanatic gives us his assessment of the new festive film Violent Night.
Yippee Ki Yay, it's almost Christmas, which must mean it's time to dig out the Die Hard DVD. or alternatively watch one of the ultimate festive flicks on Disney+ before my three month trial expires on Christmas Eve. Anyone who argues it is not a Christmas film is, I'm afraid, entirely incorrect.
I watched Violent Night this week at Cineworld, which I think has the potential to become a cult classic. Festive films are churned out like pigs in blankets on a production line, but not many stay long in the memory. Has there been a truly great one since Elf in 2003? Proof that Will Ferrell's uncynical, genuinely funny movie has stood the test of time is that it's being utilised by a leading supermarket in their December advertising campaign. I truly love the "world's best cup of coffee" scene in particular.
2003 was a gift for holiday movies, with Love Actually and Bad Santa also being released. Violent Night, meanwhile, opens with Santa downing a pint of lager and belching loudly, setting the scene for what's to come. He is contemplating making it his final Christmas, and unwittingly finds himself in the middle of a robbery, when a rich family's isolated country pile gets targeted by thieves intent on emptying their safe.
Everything from candy canes to Christmas decorations are deployed as weapons, the language is fruity, the violence is visceral, and to be honest I really enjoyed it! It's a 15 certificate, so be warned that it's not one to see after a trip to Santa's grotto, but it combines action with comedy really effectively & kept me interested throughout. The script wasn't the sharpest, but the cast more than made up for it, with "time for some season's beatings" instantly becoming one of my favourite lines in a movie this year. Believe in Santa's magic, and underestimate him at your peril. David Harbour is most excellent as the man in the red suit, stringing up baddies by their baubles. Home Alone meets Die Hard.
Meanwhile, I've been getting some stick in the office after confessing I've never seen the original Matilda film from 1996. I must watch it on Netflix sometime. Danny DeVito's role is taken by the fab Stephen Graham in the musical version, and Emma Thompson is superb as Miss Trunchball, the fearsome head of the school. Alisha Weir plays the bookworm Matilda with gusto, and a standout scene involves the eating of a whole chocolate cake as a punishment.
Adapted from the classic Roald Dahl book, which was first published in 1988, this sticks pretty closely to the story from my vague recollection of reading it, and is moreish musical fun. My nephew was kept hooked for most of its two hour running time, and I really rated Lashana Lynch as the kind teacher Miss Hone, whose secret past is revealed as the story unfolds. The songs were good, it looks great on the big screen, and it's the perfect antidote to the cold December weather.
You can listen to Alex every weekday from 7am to 11am and on the 'Super Scoreboard' show on Saturdays from 3pm to 7pm, on Tameside Radio 103.6FM.
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