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Holiday Twist
(In Theaters Dec. 1)
What are the odds that Holiday Twist, along with this week’s The Shift, would both star Neal McDonough and Sean Astin? Writer-director Stephanie Garvin wanted “to create a family-oriented movie designed to be a light for people who are suffering in many ways through tough times.” Neal McDonough as Skip and Sean Astin as Mr. Whitmer, contribute their fair share of antics to this dramady that’s all about forgiving ourselves and giving back. The protagonist is Grinchy workaholic CEO Connie (Kelly Stables), who sees everything as happening to her through the lens of her own self-importance. She’s flabbergasted when her children want her to orchestrate a festive, holiday atmosphere replete with activities and food. After complaining to everyone within earshot, and begrudgingly allowing her assistant (Emily Tosta) to pay for and decorate an office tree, Connie needs “me-time.” During this break, Connie meets a Salvation Army Santa (Blake Leeper), who taps into some holiday magic to transform Connie’s perspective, and just like that, Connie’s heart grows three sizes ... (Lisa Miller)
Marcel Pagnol: My Father’s Glory / My Mother’s Castle
(Film Movement Blu-ray/DVD/Digital)
Marcel is a dreamy boy who hears the sounds of cicadas—prevalent around his family’s summer cottage—instead of his teacher’s droning instruction. And who can blame him? The summer cottage is nestled in the hills of Provence in a pair of 1990 films drawn from the memoirs of French novelist-filmmaker Marcel Pagnol. Roger Ebert declared that those films “creep up on you with small moments of warmth and charm.” They also radiate an adult’s nostalgia for childhood in the lost world of pre-World War I bourgeoise France. Social commentary is rendered with a feather’s touch as Marcel gradually learns that his parents—and the world—fall short of the rosiest expectations. (David Luhrssen)
The Shift
(In Theaters Dec. 1)
About 15-years ago, I met a nurse named Esther Polaha. After learning I wrote film reviews, she asked, “Would you watch the pilot episode for my son Kristoffer’s new show on cable?” On one hand, Esther was extremely proud that he was starting to get good roles, and on the other, she was concerned about the time he spent on faith-based activities (“He’s very religious, ya know ...”), when she wished he’d focus on his career because she and Kristoffer’s dad had been partially supporting him, his wife, and their three children, while he pursued his Hollywood dreams.
I did as she asked and was relieved to report that I thought he did well, though I didn’t have great hopes for the show he was in (It didn’t last). In this film, Kristoffer Polaha plays Kevin Garner with obvious zeal. The story, meant to loosely retell the story of Job, depicts Kevin having a strange conversation with a mysterious man. Next, he awakens to learn he’s been shifted into another reality by that same man. Calling himself “The Benefactor,” the man demands that Garner do his bidding, and promises to reward his efforts.
Portrayed by Neal McDonough, who also holds strong Christian beliefs, the actor claims he was unwilling to play the Devil, until his wife convinced him that his relationship with God practically ensured that McDonough was right for the role. The Benefactor can’t fathom the depth of Garner’s love for his wife Molly (Elizabeth Tabish) as he tempts and torments Garner with offers of fame, power, women and wealth. Also on hand is Gabriel (Sean Astin), who sees little hope of Garner escaping The Benefactor’s schemes. Nevertheless, Garner remains determined to return to Molly without making a Faustian bargain.
Written and directed by Brock Heasley, the 115-minute film drops Garner into one multiverse after the next, all while flashing back to his life with Molly. Somehow, it manages its miniscule $6.5 million dollar budget, to create persuasive special effects illustrating these changing realities. Meanwhile, with a smattering of good roles to his credit, and two of his three children now working in the industry, I’m betting Kristoffer Polaha is easily paying his own way. (Lisa Miller)
Silent Night
(In Theaters Dec. 1)
Director John Woo returns to the English language market with one of his signature action pieces in a bit of counter-holiday programming. Joel Kinnaman is cast as bereaved father Brian Godlock, after he witnesses the murder of his little son by gang members on a killing spree. No sooner does Godlock heal from a gunshot that severed his vocal cords, he writes “kill them all” in the Dec. 24 entry of his calendar. He embarks on a punishing training regimen, and photographs gang member photos hanging on the police station wall before dropping into his heavily fortified car to enact a not-so-silent night of intense retribution. Woo lets the guns do all the talking since actual talking would be useless noise. Godlock’s working his way up to the gang’s heavily tattooed leader Playa (Harold Torres), who can’t believe some idiot actually thinks he can take Playa on. It’s all great fun in a kill ’em all, then kill ’em all some more fantasy that finds bad people getting what’s coming to them and then some. Doing so requires a lawless, sympathetic, yet disposable character like Godlock, who doles out these gifts, knowing that afterwards, he’ll have no one and nothing to go home to. Merry Christmas. (Lisa Miller)
