2. One Battle After Another (Anderson)
Honorable mention: Fairyland (Durham), Friendship (DeYoung), Blue Moon (Linklater), Nouvelle Vogue (Linkater)
Best Actor: Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
Best Supporting Actor: Adam Sandler, Jay Kelly
Best Supporting Actress: Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
I’m not celebrating the Winter Solstice because why would I? Yet every year we buy and trim a Christmas tree. We festoon the house with Christmas decor and from early December through the 25th the only music I listen to is Christmas carols. Even my laptop features Christmas themed wallpaper for most of the month. In the fortnight leading to the 25th we watch Christmas movies and episodes of our favorite TV shows set at Christmas. So what gives? What exactly am I celebrating? What am I so giddy about?
Gifts for one thing. That was a real attraction for me as kid. New toys. The thing is, it never stopped being really appealing to me. People giving you things, for free. No strings attached. And I’m easy to buy for. I gave hints. I no longer shop at Amazon but I do maintain a wish list there. You’re welcome. But I also like giving them. I put thought into gift-buying and usually people either like the gifts I gave them or do a bang up job of pretending they do. Giving someone a much-appreciated present is a hard feeling to top.
Then there’s the time with family. Complete with good food and tasty desserts. You can go ahead and over indulge because it’s but once a year. Some family you’ve seen plenty of during the year, other’s you’ve hardly seen at all. I realize that there are a lot of people who don’t like spending time with family. They’ve got a MAGA grandmother, an overly judgmental mother-in-law, a drunken Uncle, a cousin who’s a jerk. Not so with our brood. I was the designated drunk for a while but have been sober for decades. I like my family both immediate and extended. Like doesn’t do it, I love them.
Another thing about the holiday season is that it’s a break from the routine. That’s something that drew me in as a child and still does today. The trees, decorations, music are all different. We need that. I believe we especially need it now given the state of the country.
I know the holidays can be depressing for a lot of people. It’s a difficult time for people in recovery too. Being a 12 stepper and a sufferer of depression I understand. Further proof of the lack of perfection we experience in this life.
Christmas has gotten wrapped up (pun not intended) in politics in recent years. It started when people who don’t celebrate the holiday objected to constantly being wished a merry one. As a society we started trying to be more inclusive in the late Sixties. In that spirit, Merry Christmas was replaced by many with Happy Holidays. Eventually there was a backlash from the neanderthals on the right who started to imagine that there was a “war on Christmas” an utterly ridiculous notion given the importance of Christmas in our culture and to our economy. This has led to overreaches from both sides. I present three examples from my own experience.
When I was a middle school teacher we had a yearly Secret Santa tradition. One year at an early December faculty meeting as we reviewed the rules surrounding Secret Santa, a new member of our faculty stated that she objected to the term Secret Santa because — and this is true — she hated the whole notion of Santa Claus. It was thus decided that — based on the feelings of one person out of thirty — Secret Santa would henceforth be known as Secret Pal. I immediately withdrew my participation.
When my daughters were in day care the center would acknowledge, with decor and activities, various celebrations from different cultures. This included Cinco De Mayo, Diwali, Yom Kippur and the like. That was fine by me. But when it came to putting up a Christmas tree they asked families if there was any objection. One family of the twenty-five did indeed object and as a consequence there was no tree. Mind you, they never asked about any of the other celebrations. Again the tyranny of the minority.
About ten years ago I was teaching at an English language school in San Francisco. At the festive time of year I would wear a different Christmas tie everyday. One of my co-workers loved the ties and would always ask to get a closer look. One day she referred to them as “holiday” ties. I pointed out that as they only represented one particular holiday I thought it more accurate to call them Christmas ties. She didn’t speak to me for the rest of that holiday season. Seriously.
Despite these incidences I have generally found this to be a perfectly delightful time of year — my favorite — with most people in fine spirits. Even though many of us are unclear why we’re celebrating. I think it only appropriate to close by wishing everyone who celebrates a Merry Christmas and the rest of you Happy Holidays!
There’s one helluva lot of Christmas carols out there and I’ve only got so much time (been helping out at the North Pole) so I’ve selected an even dozen to examine. My criteria for selection was that either I like the song, I thought the song would have an interesting background or it just popped into my head. Sorry if I left a favorite of yours out. I didn’t include Jingle Bells because — and this is an excellent reason — I didn’t wanna.
Here’s the delightful dozen. I've linked each to a YouTube video of it.
12 Days of Christmas. It’s origins go back to somewhere between the 16th and 18th centuries which, when you think about it, is a pretty broad range. It was first published in 1780 which is wonderfully specific in comparison. The most reasonable speculation about the song is that it started out as a memory game where folks had to memorize the verses and get them all correctly which by the twelfth run though ain’t so easy. The twelve days begin on December 25th and end on what is not at all surprisingly called the twelfth night. Very few people do the whole twelve days thing but people often keep their trees up that long. The song has been driving people nuts for centuries but has delighted at least as many.
Silent Night. It was originally in German under the title “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht” and was composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber with lyrics by Joseph Mohr. Both chaps were Austrians which is where the song originates. Silent Night was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011 — whatever the hell that means. It was first recorded in 1905. Silent Night is for the mellow part of the evening and I’m sure is favored by Christians as it actually references the birth of Jesus.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. According to one account I read — apparently offered with a straight face — Rudolph is a “fictional reindeer.” And here we had thought that there had been — or was — a real reindeer with a bright red nose. Live and learn. The story, written by one Robert L. May, first appeared in a booklet in 1939. It was another ten years until the story was fashioned into a song by Johnny Marks. Gene Autry recorded it in time for the 1949 Christmas season. As you’re no doubt aware it’s been a seasonal staple ever since. If it were written today there’d be a whole bit about how, after being called names and banned from the reindeer games, Rudolph filed suit or at least registered an official complaint with Mr. Claus.
Jingle Bell Rock is a relative newcomer on the scene having first appeared on the airwaves in 1957. Sadly there is controversy over authorship of the song. Four people you’ve never heard of claim it and I’m not going to bother you with their names here. I will say that a chap named Bobby Helms was the original vocalist though the most popular version was recorded by Brenda Lee in 1964. In the last seven years it has consistently been ranked among the top three or four Christmas songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
Joy to the World was written in 1719 by the English minister and hymnist Isaac Watts. I was unfamiliar with the word hymnist but it should come as no surprise that it is the term for people who write hymns. Joy is usually sung to an 1848 arrangement by the American composer Lowell Mason of a tune attributed to George Frideric Handel. The hymn's lyrics are a Christian interpretation of Psalm 98 and Genesis 3. So yeah, it’s super religious and widely considered the most published holiday hymn of all time. It is likely second in the all hymns category to Amazing Grace.
The Christmas Song. A lot of people know that the great crooner Mel Tormé penned this lovely ballad along with someone named Robert Wells in 1945. It was recorded the following year. Nat King Cole’s version is far and away the most popular though Tormé himself did a very nice version. It was written in the midst of a Summer heatwave with the song writers somehow believing it would help them beat the heat. It is supposedly the most played carol of all time. Legend has it it took forty minutes to write the song.
Good King Wenceslas. Despite it’s religious overtones I’ve always liked the song. It’s like a jaunty hymn, if that makes sense. It’s among the oldest of Christmas Carols. It’s been around in its current form since 1853 but it’s origins go back to the 13th century. It’s about a tenth century (before my time) Duke of Bohemia known for doing good deeds on behalf of the poor (how very unTrumpy!). It was only in song that he was made a king. Wenceslas was a martyr and saint though many of his deeds were published posthumously and their veracity is doubted. Anyway he inspired an interesting if not easily understood carol.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town has been a staple since 1934. It was written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie and no I didn’t make up either of those names. Eddie Cantor’s cover to the song (first perfumed by a big band) in November of ’34 transformed it into a permanent hint. It was been recorded by over 200 artists ranging from the Andrews Sister to Bruce Springsteen to Boxcar Willie to Dolly Parton to Fred Astaire to the Jackson Five. It’s a wonderful evocation of so much that represents the Christmas season and has become firmly embedded in American Christmas culture. The whole making a list and checking and twice and finding out who’s been naughty and nice business is integral to a child’s Christmas fixation.
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Another ubiquitous carol, it debuted in 1963 having been written by two blokes named Edward Pola and George Wylie. It was recorded by Andy Williams and it is his original version that is the most widely-played. Williams was a big deal back in those days. He had his own variety show that featured lavish Christmas specials. The song has consistently been among the top Christmas songs of the year for over sixty years now. It’s the Most Wonderful is nothing less than a celebration of the Christmas season that speaks to everyone who loves the holiday. I’ve always loved it myself but have a quibble with one part of the song, namely: “There'll be scary ghost stories And tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago.” Scary ghost stories at Christmas? That’s Halloween. Yes there is the story of the Scrooge and the visitation by Jacob Marley and the three ghosts but the intent of the story is not to scare anybody. Also what “tales of the glory” of Christmases past? Is that really a staple this time of year? Anyway I still like the song.
Winter Wonderland. This is a second song on our list that debuted in 1934 which, despite the ongoing Depression, was evidently a good year for carols. This is a traditional Christmas song that makes absolutely no reference to the holiday (like Frosty the Snowman, Baby It’s Cold Outside and Jingle Bells). The story goes that lyricist Richard Bernhard Smith was inspired to write the song by having observed snow-covered Central Park in New York although he wrote it while in a sanatorium in Scranton, PA where he was being treated for tuberculosis. It was big band leader Guy Lombardo who first made a hit of it. This is another song that has been performed by major singers from A to Zed. (Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, Ringo Starr and Chloe to name but a few.)
Here Comes Santa Claus. I’ve long been curious about this little ditty as it represents the only reference I know of to a “Santa Claus Lane.” I’ve always wondered where this damn lane is. The North Pole seems logical but Gene Autry wrote it and he was referring to Santa Claus Lane Parade which is now called the Hollywood Christmas Parade. He rode in said parade in 1946 which is when the idea for the song was born. The initial release was one year later. It’s never been one of the more popular carols but I’ve always liked it though not to the extent that I’m Gene Autry fan. Like all these damn songs everyone and their Aunt Sadie has released a version. But I found it strange that of all people one Bob Dylan covered it 2009. His vocalization — in my humble opinion — leaves a lot to be desired but good for him for giving it a go.
Deck the Halls. This is my favorite Christmas Carol. It’s a great tune with easy to remember lyrics and is fun to sing. Of course the “gay apparel” line has been fodder for punsters for many decades but that’s all in good fun. The melody is Welsh and dates back to the 16th century, lyrics were added by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant, in 1862. A slightly altered version of the song replaced the original in 1877 and more resembles the song we enjoy with such gusto today.
Fa la la la la la la la la.
There are also Christmas classics that are indispensable parts of the holidays. These include such films as It’s A Wonderful Life, Christmas in Connecticut, Home Alone and it’s immediate sequel, Elf, the original Miracle on 34 Street, The Bishop’s Wife and a few of the versions of A Christmas Carol, particularly the Alastair Sim edition from 1951.
A few newer Christmas films are wedging their way into the conversation such as The Holdovers, The Happiest Season and A Boy Called Christmas.
But I’d like to focus on a half dozen very unconventional Christmas adjacent pictures. These are stories that are set at Christmas and in which the fact of Christmas is very much part of the story. However they are not the least bit sappy or sentimental, indeed they have some rough edges. A few likely get a lot of play around this time of year but none are Christmas season staples. Five of the six are from this century. One last thing about them, they’re all damn good movies. True, not your traditional Christmas fare but we've got plenty of those.
Tangerine (2015) Baker. One could certainly argue that this is more of a signature Sean Baker film than a Christmas one. It’s the first of his pictures I ever saw and I couldn’t wait to see more. It’s as un-Christmasy a Christmas film as you’ll ever find. It’s set on December 24 but in the mean streets of Los Angeles. Not only is there a total absence of snow (in a Christmas movie!) but as evidenced by everyone’s attire, it’s a very warm day. The focus here is on a transgender sex worker named Sin-Dee Rella who’s just been released from the hoosegow. Our heroine (?) discovers that her (?) pimp/boyfriend has been cheating on her. With a fellow tranny sex worker in tow she goes in search of the cheater. Many adventures ensue. We also follow an Armenian-American cab driver and his adventures which ultimately collide with Sin-Dee. Remember, it’s set on Christmas Eve! It’s also another example of Baker’s excellence as a director/writer/editor.
A Christmas Tale (2008) Desplechin. First of all it’s French which might be disqualifying for some people but good Christmas films are not exclusive to the U.S.It features what should be a standard of holiday fare: the dysfunctional family. This unhappy brood is gathering for Christmas at their matriarch’s home having just discovered that said mother has cancer. What could go wrong? It’s a surprisingly accessible film as heavy issues are treated with a light touch. The cast is stellar led by Catherine Deneuve and Mathieu Amalric. It’s an award-winning film that was all over 2008 top ten movie lists. Deservedly so.
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) Helander. Us Finns claim Santa Claus as our own — actually that would be Joulu Pukki. So it’s natural that we should have a produced an outstanding Christmas film and being made by Finns it’s a bit odd. I’ve seen it described as an action/horror/comedy. I might quibble a bit with the horror label but there’s no arguing that it’s got action and comedy and it’s most definitely a Christmas movie. It should be noted that this film’s version of Santa is no jolly fat man and the elves depicted are not full of holiday cheer. It is a very dark version of the Santa Claus mythology that’s not for the little kiddies. It’s highly original and great fun and worth a look.
Bad Santa (2003) Zwigoff. As the title suggests this is a dark comedy. You’re also prepared for that knowing that Billy Bob Thornton is in the lead. Add to that the fact that the Coen Brothers were executive producers. It was both a critical and commercial success but doesn’t seem to resonate with audiences today. More’s the pity. Bad Santa is the story of a thief who, with the aid of a diminutive elf-like partner conspire to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. All does not go as planned. Not exactly a feel good story but a good story for sure.
Mon Oncle Antoine (1971) Jutra. It’s set on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, there’s snow a plenty and the residents of the small mining town that provides the setting are all enthused about the holiday. There’s also a dead body, that of a young teen and his bereaved family not the usual stuff of a Yuletide film. This is a French Canadian picture and it’s not only highly suitable for the holiday season it’s an excellent movie that comes highly recommended by me and others. This touching story is told through the eyes of a fifteen-year old lad named Benoit. It is social and political history from its time (set in 1949) but it’s also perfectly charming.
Carol (2015) Haynes. A lesbian affair for your holiday season. This is a brilliant film from Todd Haynes. It’s set in 1952-53 and you immediately feel transported to that time and that place which is mostly New York. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara co-star and are both excellent as is the rest of the cast. Ms. Blanchett plays the title character a married woman of means who falls for a shopgirl (Mara). She is going through a separation from her husband and the custody of their young daughter is in question. The affair will be a black mark against her. What’s all this got to do with Christmas? Not a whole lot but it begins as Carol is Christmas shopping and is waited on by her future lover. It continues through the holiday and later New Year’s Eve. A New York Christmas in the ‘50s looks lovely.
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| Grant and Arthur in Only Angels Have Wings |
No, I didn’t full in love with Only Angels upon re-visiting it, but I did like it a lot and wondered what my problem with it had been before.
It’s directed by Howard Hawks one of the ten greatest directors of all time and stars Cary Grant one of the ten greatest actors of all time, so that’s a helluva start right there. Also in the cast are Jean Arthur and Thomas Mitchell both of whom were in many an outstanding film. A very young Rita Hayworth also appears and, as the cliche goes, lights up the screen.
Grant was playing a less charming character than one has grown custom to seeing him play. But then again his characters in Notorious and Suspicion were not exactly warm and cuddly and he was brilliant in both. But perhaps the past version of me was put off by Grant’s gruffness and his curious relationship with Ms. Arthur. Speaking of whom….It is remarkable that Jean Arthur had chemistry with ever male actor she played opposite. This includes, Grant, James Stewart, Joel McCrea, Herbert Marshall, Robert Cummings, Ray Milland, Charles Boyer and Gary Cooper. I’m probably missing someone from that list. Arthur was not beautiful. She was the proverbial girl next door but a streetwise and sometimes cynical one. She could have a certain vulnerability but played strong, independent women. Ms. Arthur was not a great actress but she was damn good in everything she did and made a lot of really good films even better (examples include Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Easy Living, Talk of the Town and The More the Merrier).
Thomas Mitchell was another actor who made good films better. He could be a drunk (Stagecoach) perpetually befuddled (It’s A Wonderful Life) and world weary (Mr. Smith). He was the consummate professional and his performance in Only Angels is a good example.
Sig Ruman is also in the cast and though he certainly played a type he did it well. As the owner of a small air freight company this, to me, is one of his better roles.
Only Angels is about honor and bravery and comradeship with a dollop of romance. It’s very much of its time — pre second world war — in its depiction of men and for that matter women. In the days in which the film takes place the weather is uncooperative creating peril for the flyers in what is a fictional South American country that is Andes adjacent.
Two of our favorite characters die, another breaks an arm, one suffers series burns and still another is accidentally shot. One of the points of the film is that real men, professionals, simply move on after tragedy strikes. There is too much that can and does go wrong to dwell on it.
The film emphasizes that emotions are for women to deal with. Cary Grant is in the middle of it all setting the tone for how to be unruffled and stoic in the face of anything. Fair enough it's reflective of times. I should add that the flying scenes are really well done, as you would expect from a Hawks picture.
I don’t think Only Angels is as inspiring as it’s supposed to be. I didn’t find myself overly impressed by the men’s bravery. I didn’t worry for them or weep over them either. To be succinct the screenplay could have used a little punching up.
However I enjoyed the cast and their interactions. I avoided the overall story and its arc and simply enjoyed the details and each character. I still don’t know why I didn’t like all those years ago but I do know why I didn’t love it. At it’s heart there’s not enough heart.
Your mileage may vary. Many people love the movie and find things in it that I can’t. If someone told me they consider it a great film I’d not think a wit less of them. Same if they told me they thought it stunk. I’m glad I gave it another go and managed to enjoy it.
Friday was a day like no other that I’ve experienced in my time on this planet. A daughter’s wedding was a first. I was thrilled, I was humbled, I was excited, I was reflective. I was full of love.
The wedding ceremony was held in San Francisco’s magnificent city hall. Evidently there are lots of weddings taking place there everyday and at all times. We saw many happy couples with family and friends having many, many pictures taken. I swear I don’t recall ever being in such a happy place, it buoyed an already elevated mood.
The ceremony was short and sweet and the — I’m assuming this what you call him — justice of the peace seemed a delightful little chap. One of my daughter’s friends is a professional photographer so in addition to all of us snapping happily with our smart phones there was someone who knew what she was doing. She clicked away.
Next we went to a restaurant about a twenty-minute walk from city hall. We had a table reserved and our own menu with the newlyweds’ names on it. The food was superb, the company even better. Yours truly gave the toast and it was heartfelt and well-received.
I don’t remember being part of such a happy occasion. It was nice meeting the groom’s cousin and two good friends as it was to meet daughter’s best friend and her husband. My wife and older daughter I’ve met but I always delight in their company.
I’m a proud papa. Daughter made an excellent choice. Her husband is a warm and kind man. He must have special qualities to win my daughter’s affection. We share a love of proper football (soccer to you Yanks) though root for rival teams. Younger daughter is an incredible young woman. I know fathers always say that but she is a person of great intelligence and wisdom beyond her years. During my toast I mentioned her courage. She has always been brave. One could argue that getting married is a true test of bravery.
Marriages don’t always work out as is well-documented but this one stands a better chance than most. It starts with unconditional love and requires patience, understanding, flexibility and a good sense of humor. As best I can tell they're off to a good start.
Four days later when I think of the wedding day there is still a warm happy glow. I’m still struggling for words to properly convey how I felt that day and how I feel today. Here are some that I know are apt: love, pride, joy, serenity, elation, happiness, reflection, wonder and gratitude. In some ways that last — gratitude — is perhaps the most important of all.
It has been said that to live in gratitude is the true key to happiness. I will be forever grateful for that day and for my family, including its latest addition.
