RELAXING WITH HOLIDAY FILMS
“When the weather outside is frightful….” It wasn’t frightful, but definitely December cold and windy, so over the past week, we hunkered down most evenings and watched a series of holiday films including the Call the Midwife special. Plus one with Diane Keaton we hadn’t ever seen. Here’s our round-up.
Love Actually (Amazon Prime)
I’m a big fan of Bill Nighy’s, and in Love Actually (2003), he plays an irreverent, inappropriate aging rock star. Against the backdrop of “All You Need is Love,” several distinct kinds of love stories play out in the weeks leading up to Christmas. There are the two young actors filming a movie sex scene, the little boy who loves a girl in his class and wants to be noticed, a husband possibly straying from his long-suffering wife, and the handsome prime minister who’s attracted to one of his staff. The cast is a great one including Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, and Hugh Grant.
We have watched this film at least three times, and it never fails to entertain us. Definitely not for young kids, but fun and heartwarming with a feel-good message. At the end, you can’t help but sing along!
The Holiday (Amazon Prime)
I wasn’t sure we had seen The Holiday (2006) before but remembered the premise. Two young women, one English and the other American, having just broken up with or been jilted by their respective boyfriends, agree to do a house exchange. Amanda in Los Angeles goes to spend 2 weeks in Iris’ cozy English cottage, while Iris trades snowy winter for California sun and a big house with a pool. Iris’s brother Graham shows up one night at his sister’s and unexpectedly meets Amanda.
Iris tries to put her cad boyfriend Jeremy behind her and helps an elderly man get the recognition he deserves for his show business career. It is Christmas time, but life has its complexities in this rom-com with some serious twists. Another notable cast with Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, and Jude Law.
Hampstead (Acorn)
Hampstead (2017) is a Diane Keaton film we had never seen. It’s inspired by a true story, and in it, Keaton, playing widow Emily Walters, takes up the cause of seemingly homeless Donald Horner who has built himself a shack on part of Hampstead Heath. Emily’s neighbors object to his dwelling, but she and others rally to his defense and eventually go to court with him. It’s a sweet film with a poignant message. Donald is played by Brendan Gleason, and Lesley Manvile is one of Emily’s busybody neighbors.
Call the Midwife Christmas Special 2025 (PBS)
Every year the Call the Midwife series presents a one-off, 2-hour Christmas special. I confess we have never watched it before this year. This one is set in Hong Kong and at Nonnatus House. Dr. Turner and his wife, along with several of the sisters, are in Hong Kong to help out after the collapse of an orphanage building. The Hong Kong they discover is not a pretty sight, and they come face to face with violent organized crime. They also hope to find May’s mother Esther.
On the home front, there are the usual complicated childbirths, Christmas celebrations, and the return of a Poplar native to the apartment where he was born. For those viewers, who think that life is always rosy in this historical series, this entry is a stark contrast to many other episodes. Yes, the themes of care and compassion, goodwill and respect for others are here, but there is also a dark underside which gives it greater depth and greater realism. Highly recommended!
Note: Photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
