Worth the Watch - December
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is synonymous of an Irish Christmas, but thankfully there are plenty other films that are equally unforgettable and less freaky.
Here are a couple that if you haven’t seen in 2020, or because of the season, will help you get into the Christmas cheer. Either way, it’s nice to take the time to see them before we say our final goodbyes to the strangest year we have possibly ever experienced together.
A little footnote to all this: there are great movies out there but many times they are hard to find because there are not available in the mainstream platforms. Here we only mention ones that are easy to find.
Films
Hamilton (2020)
Technically not a film but a broadway performance, this is hands down the best musical on screen in 2020. It tells the story of one of America's foremost founding fathers and first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Captured live on Broadway. Everything about it is spectacular. Available for viewing on Disney Plus.
In the same vein of what is available on Disney Plus, you also have:
A Christmas Carol
There are multiple renditions of this all time favourite but two that stand out as particularly entertaining and available on Disney Plus is Jim Carrey’s version in 2009 and the Muppets Christmas Carol in 1992. Let’s face it, it’s all part of the Christmas cheer to enjoy watching a couple of rats singing along to Kermit’s take on “One More Sleep 'til Christmas”!
Christmas Chronicles (2018 and 2020)
The Christmas Chronicles (Part 1 and 2) are American Christmas comedy films. Kurt Russell is a really good Santa Claus aswell. Home Alone director Chris Columbus pulls out all the stops to making this movie festive and fun-packed watching. It’s a good switch-off. Available on Disney Plus.
The Nativity (2009)
This is British humour at its best. It got only 48% in Rotten Tomatoes which actually makes me laugh because honestly, this movie is quirky and fun. The kids are hilarious in it. We don’t want to build it up too much and lead to disappointment (much like what happened to us all with The Titantic!) but if you want light-hearted entertainment, you’ll enjoy it. We promise! Available on Netflix.
Another one that is in this vein, off beat and equally ridiculous is “Eurovision: Story of Fire Saga (2020)”.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
This is a historical romantic-drama film about a London-based writer who begins exchanging letters with residents on the island of Guernsey, which was German-occupied during WWII. Feeling compelled to visit the island, she starts to get a picture of what it was like during the occupation. Beautifully shot, acting is good, script is engaging: generally an all-rounder in this genre. Available on Netflix.
The Trial of Chicago 7 (2020)
This is an American historical legal drama film. The film is based on the infamous 1969 trial of seven defendants charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the countercultural protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Whatever your opinion is on how the political side of it is portrayed, the crafting of this film is very good. Available on Netflix.
Documentaries
Taxi (2015)
Technically not a documentary but a docufiction, this Iranian film is really interesting. If you are into veering away from mainstream viewing to catch a glimpse of a completely different culture, the film will bring you there. It’s also fascinating to read up on this courageous director who has done his utmost for freedom of speech and artistic expression in Iran. This film is available to view on YouTube.
We are the Champions (2020)
We can only vouch for Episode 1 of this Series which is about the tradition of “Cheese rolling”. Only 30 minutes long, this episode will only bring you fascination for the human spirit. Available on Netflix.
Song Exploder (2020)
A series of episodes following the trajectory of musicians explaining how they composed one of their tracks. Short, sweet and insightful. If you love music, you’ll really enjoy this. If you watch “Hamilton”, the episode on Lin-Manuel Miranda is particularly interesting. The others are equally entertaining. Available on Netlfix.