Something of a holiday from Holiday viewing

I did say upfront that there was little to tempt me over the holiday period, and my daily average has been well down since I last wrote nine days ago,  This is not to say that Pretty Pink saw no movies (for who would believe that?), but there wasn't a lot to write home about.  Here, such as they may be, are the highlights (to use the word very loosely):

Battlecreek Brawl (1981): Jackie Chan is usually good value, and I had only previously seen this early attempt to break into the US market in a German dub.  Well this was not the movie to do it, but Jackie's action prowess is always an amusing watch.  Which is more than can be said of his appearance in "Cannonball Run" (1981) where he was lost in a large eclectic cast.  I don't quite know how I managed never to have seen this one before, but it was appallingly awful.  Needless to say, it made a wagonload of money back then, so there's no accounting for taste.

When the Levees Broke (2006):  I have seen this Spike Lee documentary on the aftermath of Hurricaine Katrina described as his "masterpiece", but I don't agree.  Running over five hours, this polemic would have the viewer believe that the slow response of the Federal government to the tragedy was triggered by the fact that many of the victims were poor and black.  Spike, baby, we get the message and don't need to have our noses rubbed into the mess; shorter might have been more effective -- that's what editing rooms are for.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992): A seasonal viewing for the young 'uns with an able Michael Caine as Scrooge supported by the usual Muppet suspects.  Mind you singing is not his forte and for my money Alastair Sim is the one true Scrooge, but still good, colourful fun.

Aeon Flux (2005): Don't expect me to tell you much about this Sci Fi nonsense.  However I will ask why Oscar-winning actresses next feel obliged to try something completely different, pace Halle Berry in the abysmal "Catwoman" and Charlize Theron here as a futuristic assassin.  She did however look very tasty in the skimpy costumes!

Oliver Twist (2005): This is director Roman Polanski's take on the classic tale, but he brought little new to the table.  Competently mounted but relatively slow and pedestrian in is execution, wanting to make a movie that his children could watch seems insufficient reason for obtaining the funding.  Stick with the classic black and white David Lean version or even the musical.

Santa Baby (2006): Some seasonal fluff unleashed on cable television with Santa's daughter (Jenny McCarthy) as a high-flying executive having to fill in for the old man when he has a heart attack.  Some people have a weird idea of suitable holiday fare!

Transporter 2 (2005) and Doom (2005):  Designed as vehicles for their action stars, neither of these are likely to remain in the memory.  The former was slightly preferable as Jason Statham reprised his role from the earlier (unlikely) hit; at least he plays a rounded anti-hero and the action pyrotechnics divert.  In contrast, The Rock, in a film too obviously derived from yet another video game, may turn bad as the sergeant in charge of containing a zombie infestastion at a remote scientific outpost, but he still has only the one reactive expression  -- glaring straight at the camera -- the same one he uses when he is the good guy.

Maybe the time has come to make a New Year's resolution to watch less dross, which means watching fewer movies -- but realistically, probably not.  Anyhow I close for now with best wishes to all for a peaceful, happy and healthy 2007.