The Christmas Film Recommendables - Part 15

Welcome to the final five of my Christmas Film Recommendations. Today we make our way through the Christmas film staples of strippers, burglars, dogs and orphans.

I will consolidate all 15 posts tomorrow into a masterlist so you can tick-off your way through the silly season. To catch up so far: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14.

71. Powder Blue (2009)

Powder Blue is constantly compared (unfavorably) to the highly over-rated Crash (2004): both share the Christmastime setting and the lots-of-intersecting-stories thing. My response is a) Powder Blue is substantially less heavy-handed than Crash and b) intersecting stories is by no means a Crash innovation: see Noel (2004) and Christmas Eve (2015) as examples.

A heavy Christmas film that’s over-acted in places, but enjoyable nonetheless. Offering an all-star cast of Ray Liotta, Jessica Biel, Forest Whitaker, an under-utilised Lisa Kudrow and a young Eddie Redmayne.

72. The Ref (1994)

Denis Leary is a burgular who finds himself - regrettably - taking a highly dysfunctional married couple hostage over Christmas. Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis are funny here, even if the film is a tad mean-spirited in places.

You can watch it in full online.

73. A Dog Named Christmas (2009)

There’s a slew of Christmas films centred on dogs, largely centred on them saving Christmas and bringing together individuals for romance. This one’s a little bit different. An intellectually disabled boy convinces his family to allow him to foster a dog over the Christmas period. Dad’s reluctant as his last dog was inextricably linked to his messy war memories. Nicely sentimental, although be prepared to cry if you’re a dog lover. (A prequel - Christmas With Tucker (2013) - centres on the why of Dad’s reluctance. Not quite as good as A Dog Named Christmas).

74. My One Christmas Wish (2015)

Glee’s Amber Riley stars in this film about a Christmas orphan who conjures her own way to get through the loneliness of the season. A little different from the festive standards.

75. Bright Eyes (1934)

This is actually the first time in adulthood that I’ve watched anything with Shirley Temple. I was surprised how appealing I found her, particularly given my general cynicism toward singing and dancing children.

A Christmas tragedy leads Shirley to becoming the pawn in a custody battle. Very sweet with a lovely ending. If you want more Christmastime Shirley, she also appears as a teenager (who is, admittedly, far less appealing) in I’ll Be Seeing You (1944); a decent enough film.

Watch it in its entirety online.