Evan Almighty, Tenderness, Mr North

Here's week two of the new update schedule... and as you can see, I am still doing fine. Christmas TV is wonderful, isn't it? There's always an opportunity to watch a film from the past that you've seen a million times before, or a chance to catch something new. Possibly the best thing about this is that it's the one time of year that you're most likely to have time to watch them. Happy Christmas, by the way.

#1 - EVAN ALMIGHTY

Stars - Steve Carrell, Morgan Freeman, John Goodman, Jonah Hill

Director - Tom Shadyac

Memorable Quote - Rita: Evan, what happened? Did you fall in a mine shaft?
Evan: No.
Rita: Did you just come out of a coma?
Evan: No.
Rita: Were you attacked by a werewolf?
Evan: No, I wasn't.
Rita: Well, if you were going for that rugged look, I think you over-shot it.

Review - This is something I've seen before, but somehow never managed to review. It's a bit of a classic in terms of silly comedies, I suppose, and though it is all God-themed and the like it's something that I can accept and watch without too much of a problem. There is of cause the greatest casting decision of all time carried over from Bruce Almighty, ie Morgan Freeman being God (because he kinda is). In terms of comic value this is a whole different kettle of fish from Bruce, given that Jim Carrey's style is so unique and recognisable (and also marmite-like). I'd suggest that people who did not like Bruce would still have the chance to find Evan funny, as it registers on a whole different level. This is nothing more than good, clean family fun, and the little touches (the 'dance', the end title sequence, the characterisation of the different animals) are enough to keep it funny after many rewatches. It is not highbrow and it is not something that will make you think particularly, but the genius is that it presents Christianity in a way that would be easy for an audience of any faith to enjoy. You don't have to believe in God to have a chuckle at Morgan Freeman. This is good for a night in after a bad day, and though there are certain areas that drag once you know what happens in them, it is not something that I would ever turn off in disgust. 3.5/5

#2 - TENDERNESS

Stars - Russell Crowe, Jon Foster, Sophie Traub

Director - John Polson

Memorable Quote - 'Today could be different. Today something just might change.'

Review - This movie just... failed so hard. It could have been amazing. For God's sake, the story was amazing. But then you make it all so emotionally distant that there's nothing to care about, you make the female lead so unattractive and annoying that I don't care what the hell happens to her, and you stick in Russell Crowe - no doubt for publicity - in a role that does nothing at all for the storyline except interrupt it. I would also like to add that I HATE with a passion the current trend of having blonde, unconventional women with no eyebrows to speak of and strange lips as models, actresses, etc etc. It's not a good look. Very unhappy with this - we could have got deep into the strange psychological relationship between Eric and Lori, why Eric felt the need to kill and what his background was, and more on his relationship with his aunt/parents/etc, but all of that was ignored in favour of... what? Lots of shots of Russell Crowe driving around and looking at a sick woman? Why? I was not at all suprised to find that it was based on a novel, and I think I'm going to pick that novel up; after all, it is not the story that is at fault here but the director. Stupid choices ruined something with great potential. 2/5

#3 - MR NORTH

Stars - Anthony Edwards, Robert Mitchum, Lauren Bacall, Anjelica Huston, Harry Dean Stanton

Director - Danny Huston

Memorable Quote - 'Madam, I suggest that you encourage your children to play with matches!'

Review - This movie starts off rather strangely and carries on in much the same way. It feels as though it was made a lot earlier than it was, which I suppose is a testament to the skill of the director for placing it in the 1920s and making that seem natural. The little special effects of the electricity are a touch tacky, of course, but this is the eighties we're talking about. I felt it was a little mismatched to have a youthful looking Edwards opposite the clearly older Huston, but it's not the first time such a gap has been cast, nor indeed is it untrue to reality. It made much more sense for him to be paired with Sally or Sarah or whatever the hell her name is actually supposed to be. The chase/trial sequence lost me quite a bit due to its overall ridiculousness, and while the chase did have comic value there was only legal inaccuracy in the court scene and not much else of any value to speak of. It's not something I will leap to watch again, once was quite enough. Not really what you would call a classic of our times. 2/5