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where faith and film are intertwined

Home Alone

Violent Night: Saving Santa

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Forget John Wick. Enter Saint Nick.

Directed by Tommy Wirkola, Violent Night is the sort of holiday film that stands in the gap for fans who demand that Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Although the film is utterly nonsensical from start to finish, Violent Nightenters the festive season with such aplomb and bombast that one cannot help go for the ride. 

Set on Christmas Eve, Violent Night follows Santa Claus (David Harbour) on his yearly gift delivery. However, after years of disappointment, he has lost all faith in the children of this generation. Drenched in alcohol and barely interested in his job, Santa stumbles through the night, just biding his time. Although, when he reaches the wealthy Lightstone residence, he finds something worse than coal in their stocking. Led by Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo), the Lightstones are being held hostage by a group of mercenaries who are looking for their own special Christmas bonus. While Santa isn?t interested in getting involved at first, the pleas of young Trudy Lightstone eventually (Leah Brady) changes his mind. And he?s got a special gift for everyone on his naughty list.

Make no mistake, the film lives up to its name. Violent Night is brutal, gory and fueled by coarse language from start to finish. While not a horror film, the film is relentless with gunfire, blood splatters and vicious kills through much of its runtime. 

But, it also understands the assignment. 

Believe it or not, amidst the candy canes and cut throats, Violent Night wants to be considered a Christmas cult classic. In doing so, it?s satirizes much of the films and music that are generally associated with the holiday season. Featuring a lighthearted pop soundtrack, Violent Night has an absurd playfulness about it, even in the darkest of moments. (It?s also safe to say that you will never hear Bryan Adams? song Christmas Time the same way again.) References to Home Alone, Die Hard, and other unusual Christmas films remind the viewer that there?s a place for chaos at Christmas. For instance, without giving any spoilers, a young child?s experience watching Kevin McAllister?s exploits in Home Alone inspires her to take matters into her own hands to protect herself? but the results here are far more ruthless.  

In terms of performances, admittedly there are very few standouts amongst the cast. (Even so, everyone is in on the joke and having fun.) However, as Santa himself, Harbour creates a vision of old Saint Nick that we have never seen before. Harbour has a way of creating empathy for even his most unlikable characters, and he brings that to this role as well. Here, Santa isn?t a good guy, but neither is he a bad guy either. Whereas films like Bad Santa have depicted him as cruel in the past, Violent Night shows him as a broken man. Left shattered by the selfishness of today?s generation of youth who care little for his offerings, Santa has simply given up on his own holiday. In fact, he?s even ready to pack it in. (?This may be my last year,? he grumbles into his beer.)

As such, what becomes interesting about Violent Night isn?t its brutality or humour. In a strange way, this is a redemption story for old Saint Nick himself. To a culture that has become obsessed with money, Santa has become an irrelevant relic. After all, who needs to believe in magic when everyone is climbing over themselves for a buck? Even Santa finds himself giving out more gift cards then he does actual toys these days. But this actually leads to the contribution that Violent Night actually makes to the holidays. 

Even though many have landed on the naughty list, Santa?s journey proves as a reminder anyone can find their way again when given the chance at grace. For example, most characters here approach the holiday season with empty hearts, except young Trudy. Despite the reprehensible members of her family, Trudy refuses to give up on Christmas? and especially Santa. Struggling with addiction and a failing marriage, Santa is burned out and refuses to get involved in people?s lives. But through the eyes of this young woman, we begin to see a twinkle return to his eye. (Even if that twinkle does come accompanied with a sledgehammer.) Trudy?s infallible innocence and faith in the goodness of Santa helps remind him of what matters most. His icy cynicism begins to melt away and optimism is renewed.

Because, in Violent Night, belief still matters. 

It goes without saying that?Violent Night?will not be for everyone. For those looking for more of a traditional Christmas film, this will undoubtedly feel like a lump of coal in their stocking. But, for those who yearn for John McClain or John Wick to make their Christmas bright, it?s entirely possible that?Violent Night?will be the type of film that keeps on giving for holidays to come.

Home Sweet Home Alone: It’s Hard to Go Home [Alone] Again

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It?s always hard to go?Home [Alone]?again.

It was over thirty years ago when John Hughe?s?Home Alone?became an instant Christmas classic. However, when the film became such an immense success, it also made sequels and reboots an inevitability as well. Now the?fifth?sequel to McCauley Culkin?s first adventure,?Home Sweet Home Alone?wants its audience to feel nostalgic for the past while still carving out its own place in the canon. Though the formula is essentially already set, this is an entirely new story with entirely new characters.

Home Sweet Home Alone introduces the world to Max Mercer (Archie Yates), a young boy who finds himself accidentally left alone when his family flies to Japan for the holidays. New to the neighbourhood, Max has no one to reach out to but decides to embrace his newfound independence. However, when a married couple attempts to break into the Mercer?s home to retrieve a priceless heirloom, Max is forced to defend himself?and protect his house?by any means necessary.

Directed by Dan Mazer (Dirty Grandpa),?Home Sweet Home Alone?is not so much a reboot of the original property but more of a distant cousin to it. Written by Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell,?Sweet Home?has the elements to make it a blast but still feels lacking. Taking place in the same world as the original films, Day and Seidell clearly have an affection for Hughe?s holiday classic that fuels their interest in the screenplay. In fact, the film directly references the McAllister stories from the early 90s without feeling burdened by them either. (Without giving away any spoilers, this reverence for the original also lends itself in the form of a surprise cameo?but no, it isn?t Kevin.)?

However, while the film is will definitely be seen as a fun holiday adventure for kids, there seems to be something missing for it to be memorable. Although it features a solid cast that includes Kenan Thompson, Rob Delaney, Aisling Bea, Chris Parnell and more,?Sweet Home?still feels like it could be something more. As the film?s brightest light, Ellie Kemper gives her all as the frazzled but financially strapped mother yet the material she?s given feels uneven and even she struggles to find a rhythm.?

With this in mind, it?s possible that the most confusing aspect of the film lies with its villains. While Kemper and Delaney give their all, the writing simply lets their characters down by trying to make them so relatable. Whereas the original film gave us two thieves who, while silly, are definitely cruel villains that need to be vanquished,?Home Sweet Home?takes a different approach. Instead, the film works hard to make the viewer empathize with the would-be criminals. By telling stories about their financial hardship and showing their deep love for their family,?Home Sweet Home?seems to want the viewer to love them as much as they do Max Mercer. These potential criminals are not monsters but people who have been broken by the pressures of society. That?s not to suggest that they should be demonized, yet the writing just makes it a tad confusing about who they want us to cheer for.

Now, having said this, most people are really here for the inevitable break-in and certainly the film does this very well. In fact, Mazer leans into it with enthusiasm. Featuring some fun and surprising ?booby traps?, there are a number of sequences that definitely meet the expectations of the franchise. In his attempts to defend his home from invaders, Max Mercer goes full ?McCallister?, creating some unique visuals ranging from dangerous Nerf darts and perilous pool balls to terrifying treadmills. Without question, this is the portion of the film that truly pops and should entertain fans of the original.

Ultimately though, this film wants to delve into what it means to feel safe at home. While Max (like Kevin before him) wishes to be apart from his family, he too is suffering from a deep loneliness in his soul. Having moved into a new area, his family hasn?t made the necessary connections to make this new house into a home. However, when he?s left alone for the holidays, he simply wants to feel safe and loved. At the same time, the McKenzie?s next door seem to find themselves with a similar problem, albeit for different reasons. Although their family relationships feel solid (for the most part), fiscal difficulties have put a tremendous strain on their home life. Pressured to keep up with their wealthy in-laws, the McKenzies yearn to feel safe and secure financially. In both instances, the challenges before both Max and the McKenzies force them to re-evaluate what?s important in their lives and what it means to truly have a home worth saving.

While it is not the best of the franchise,?Home Sweet Home Alone?is admittedly a fun addition to Disney+ for a night of at-home viewing [as opposed to a theatrical event]. Though the writing may be uneven, the performances and stuntwork are silly enough to bring some holiday cheer. However, even though it wants to honour the original, this entry does prove that it really is hard to go?Home?again.

Home Sweet Home Alone is now available on Disney+.

A Christmas Message

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Home AloneDecember is one of the few times of the year where people make it a point to gather around a television set and watch holiday movies.? This is just as much a tradition as putting up a tree inside the house, drinking egg nog, and moving a stuffed elf around the house for kids to find.? With Christmas movies, people have their favorite lines ready to shout out at a moment?s notice and often have a specific playlist that is pulled from in the days and weeks preceding December 25th.

Admit it: the Christmas season brings up memories of Clark Griswold decorating his home with 25,000 light bulbs, Flick sticking his tongue to a frozen flagpole, a pair of robbers constantly being foiled by an eight year-old, and a bunch of gremlins singing in a movie theater as they watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Buddy the elf has unique escapades in New York City, John McClane has his own adventures at the Nakatomi building in Los Angeles, Scrooge learns an important lesson in London, and George Bailey discovers that his life is truly a wonderful one in Bedford Falls. They sure do for me.

GremlinsBut at the same time, most Christmas films tend to focus on the themes of family and the acquisition of specific gifts from others (right, Ralphie?). Not to say that these are bad things in and of themselves, but they can become the main focus of the holiday?when there?s something way more significant to consider.

What Christmas is about is right in its name?Christ?and specifically His birth. Family was definitely around (thanks for sticking by Mary, Joseph) and gifts were eventually received from a bunch of wise guys.? But without Christ, Christmas simply becomes a time of gathering around the arrival of Santa Claus.

Its A Wonderful LifeOne of the things we hope to accomplish at ScreenFish is a different perspective on films?one that eventually comes back to Christmas. We may not like every film we see (okay; we don?t?and we?re honest about that), but there?s always something inside that points the way to Jesus and the truth of the Bible.? That includes films that not everyone will enjoy for one reason or another. Our hope and prayer is that something we share becomes a talking point in a mom?s gathering, in normal conversation, or around the water cooler. After all, the only thing on many people?s minds for the last ten days or so has been Star Wars?and people have found it quite difficult to keep that to?themselves.? We hope the same thing happens as a result of a review we share and that discussion leading to a life rooted in faith would be the end result.

But for now, we?re thankful to each of you for supporting us as we continue down this road.? Keep the discussions coming!? And, as a reminder of the message of Christmas, here?s why?we can even celebrate: