Holiday Recommendations 2020

 Since we are pretty much all in the slammer this year in solitary confinement, spending the holidays with a few holiday films and specials might be in order. There are in no particular order and as always with recommendations, your milage may vary. 

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

The ultimate outsider, Charlie Brown's famous Christmas special. The deformed little tree, the weird dancing... there is a lot to like in this 55 year TV special. It will certianly bring back childhood memories for some of us but even younger inmates will get a kick form the story and Charles M. Schulz Peanuts characters.

Babine

Not technically a holiday story but such of it does take place in winter and, to me at least, it has that seasonal feel to it. The fantastical adventures of a young man born to a witch and the odd villagers of a small northern Quebec village. It's both comforting and touching and you can find a version with subtitles if you don't speak French. 

Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special

Maybe the gayest thing ever on television. I mean it Has K D Lang, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Charo, Joan Rivers, Little RichardGrace Jones singing little Drummer Boy!  And a million more! Pee-wee discovers the meaning of of the season as only he can and in the end, shirtless construction muscle thinks build him a playhouse addition of fruit cakes. 

Muppet Christmas Carol

I am not a fan of the Dickens story or it's film adaptions. I don't hate them but I will avoid it during the holidays... unless it's this Muppets version which is BEST adaption EVER MADE. I'll fight those who disagree, It really is an amazing, fun and heart warming version of the often over done classic. Michael Cain is a wonderful Scrooge and the muppets are all super in their roles. It's visually beautiful and despite the fact 90% of the actors are puppets they all read as real people and it draws you in like nothing else can. 

Babine - more Québec cinema!

When the church of a very small village is destroyed in a fire, the local village «idiot», Babine, the son of the village witch is accused of the crime and the death of the old Curé by his replacement... a religious fanatic who will stop at nothing to assure those he does not like are punished. Babine escapes and find a traveling circus where he befriends, amoung others, a giant Bull, which comes in handy later on.

The real cause of the fire was the release of some «fireflies» (who actually produce fire and the person responsible tries to clear babine and bring the village to it’s senses about the new Curé, who is really the villain of the piece.

I am not sure if anyone not living here in Québec will ever get to see this film... it is despite the typical low budget of our productions, beautiful and profound at points. It moves slowly and lyrically, and the characters are all portrayed very well by the actors. The villag eitself is an obvious set-piece, which actually works to the film advantage. After all this is a fairy-tale story not a real life documentary.

I’ve been wanting to buy this film pn Blu-ray before it’s all sold out forever.. somehow I doubt there will be a second pressing as it’s alittle limited in it’s audience. Sadly, I don’t have the cash thse days, but I’d say to anyone that can... buy it. Little sweet films like this deserve all the help they can get.

Not everyone I know loved this film like I did, but I would rather see 100 films like this come out for each "Terminator 4" or Transformers 2" and the studios would still be saving money the overall costs!