Aubrey MaloneAs one might expect for this time of year, many of the films currently on release have seasonal overtones, in particular A Christmas Star (G), a charming film which deals with a tranquil Irish village that comes under threat from an unscrupulous property developer. A young girl called Noelle, who was born under a Christmas star and as a result has special powers, decides to take him on and try to save the village.
She’s played by newcomer Erin Galway-Kendrick (a name to be contended with) and the cast also features veterans like Pierce Brosnan and Kylie Minogue – and the voice of Liam Neeson. It ticks all the right boxes for the time of year that’s in it and is ideal family viewing.
Somewhat feistier is Christmas with the Coopers (12A). It uses the familiar set-up of the Yuletide homecoming as its starting point. Charlotte and Sam (Diane Keaton and John Goodman) are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their (rocky) marriage. They just want a quiet Christmas but when you have four generations of Coopers under the one roof that’s always going to be an impossible dream.
A divorced father with a precocious daughter. A young girl who asks a total stranger to be her boyfriend so she doesn’t arrive home unaccompanied. A sister facing a shoplifting charge. These are just some of the ingredients. Expect everything but “peace and goodwill” for this dysfunctional lot. Can the Coopers be united after all at the end? Don’t rule it out.
Carol (15A) is also set at Christmas, but Christmas 1952. It’s much more adult than the other two films and also much more controversial. It’s been called “the best film of the year” by some critics. While I can see why that description could be applied to it – for a lot of the time it’s thoroughly poetic and romantic, with a mesmeric mood underlying almost every scene – you will want to approach it with caution. It deals with some very controversial issues, like a married woman (Cate Blanchett) being challenged for custody of her daughter by her husband after she has a fling with another woman (Rooney Mara).
It’s very sensitively shot and every frame seems to have been composed with meticulous craft. The period is also captured to perfection and there are excellent performances from the two main leads, both of whom are confused about their sexuality, but obviously the theme will divide viewers. It carries a 15A cert, mainly because of one central scene.
Another film which you may wish to approach with caution is Victor Frankenstein (15A) which seems to be to be more a candidate for Halloween than Christmas. Yet another ‘take’ on Mary Shelley’s famous horror story, it has James McAvoy as the mad scientist trying to play God and Daniel Radcliffe (he of Harry Potter fame) as his protégé. Be warned: some of the scenes are decidedly ghoulish and may put you off your turkey.