There is as ever a lot to choose from at this time of the year - I find thumbing through the festive bumper edition of the
Radio Times almost as exciting as watching the films. We have a mixed bunch to review today. None dreadful, indeed one potential GOAT, to return to the sporting vernacular of my advent efforts. But first a British caper that amuses but doesn't fully take off - yes that pun is intended, I just can't help myself.
Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines merits 5.5/10.
Oh the joys of Christmas that lead us from that to the boisterousness of
Oklahoma! (yes it does have an exclamation mark, rather like all of Trump's subliterate tweets, though with rather more reason). This is the film of the first Rodgers and Hammerstein collaboration and the singing and dancing are superb though the translation onto the widescreen (it was the first feature shot in Todd-AO) somehow shrinks the spectacle. I love a good old musical. 7/10.
And now for that putative GOAT. It has twice appeared in my advent calendars, in fact was the first ever door 24. It has to be rewatched every Christmas because it speaks of human potential and of the possibilities of film as a medium. I awarded
It's a Wonderful Life 10/10 when last I blogged about it. Should I temper this by saying nothing is perfect and downgrade to 9.5/10? No, I'm sticking with last year's verdict. Still 10/10.
Last for today and not by any means least, something more modern.
Hidden Figures is 'based on the true story' so presumably takes some Hollywood liberties with the truth, but the core of it is about the vagaries of the American Dream. As the USA reached for the moon it also reached haltingly for racial and sexual equality - in this film the two journeys are intertwined. A reassuring text in the modern context of America. Giant leaps for mankind remain feasible, notwithstanding the passing fashion for moral backsliding. 7.5/10.
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