Movie Review: The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

Hello, everyone!

Christmas is less than 10 days away! How is that even possible? This is the time of year where everyone starts watching Christmas movies, so I had better get reviewing some of them! For my first review for this Christmas season I will be talking about a movie about the writing of one of the most famous Christmas stories of all!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017):

Based on: a true story & The Man Who Invented Christmas - by Les Standiford.
"I will finish on time."
The famous writer Charles Dickens needs money and has to write a story in six weeks. He wants it to be meaningful and represent Christmas, but he isn't sure how. After hearing a story that a young nurse tells his children about fairies and spirits coming alive on Christmas Eve, he gets an idea. He struggles with getting it exactly as he wants it with illustrations and everything and on top of that his father comes to stay. Charles is battling his own past while he is trying to answer the question of, how does this story end?
"Christmas should be a time when men and women open up their hearts." (paraphrase)

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama.
Length: approx. 105 minutes.
Costumes: 8, there are some interesting costumes that fit the time period, but nothing extravagant.
Costumes by: Leonie Prendergast.
Script: 9, only one bad word.
"Nonsense, you just like a good cry."
Crew:
Directed by: Bharat Nalluri.
Written by: Les Standiford, & Susan Coyne.
Starring:
Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens.

Christopher Plummer as Scrooge.

Morfydd Clark as Kate Dickens.
Justin Edwards as John Forster & the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Anna Murphy as Tara & the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Jonathan Pryce as Mr. John Dickens.

Miles Jupp as Thackeray.
Ely Solan as Young Charles.
Jasper Hughes-Cotter as Walter Dickens.
James Heffernan as Charley Dickens.
Aleah Lennon as Mamie Dickens.
Ella Mai Delaney as Katey Dickens.
Katie McGuinness as Fanny Dickens & Mrs. Cratchit.
Marcus Lamb as Rev. Henry Burnett & Bob Cratchit.
Pearse Kearney as Henry Jr. & Tiny Tim.
John Henshaw as Butcher & Mr. Fezziwig.
Annette Badland as Butcher's Wife & Mrs. Fezziwig.
Pat Mooney as Garrick Club Waiter.
Ger Ryan as Mrs. Dickens.
Donald Sumpter as Haddock & Ghost of Marley.
Simon Callow as Leech.
Aideen Wylde as Charlotte Wigmore.
Adam Dolan as Warren's Factory Boy.
Amelia Crowley as Mrs. Grimsby.
Bill Paterson as Mr. Grimsby.

Cinematography: 9, it was really neat how they did some things!
Cinematography by: Ben Smithard.
Music: 7, I can't recall what it was.
Music by: Mychael Danna.
Notes: This movie is based on the writing process of Charles Dickens's famous work, A Christmas Carol. Because of this, there are a lot of spoilers for A Christmas Carol, so if you haven't read that or seen a movie version of it, you'll want to wait to see this movie until after you have done that.

Quotes: 7, "No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another."
Content: 9, there is only some mild drinking, and that's it!
Originality: 7, I love how they showed the writing process and as a writer myself (well, sort of one) there were a lot of things that I have done! You definitely look for inspiration everywhere, your characters follow you around, and you hate it when people disturb you! Though, it is not the first story that I have experienced like this. I have read a fictional book before about how Charles Dickens came up with the story.

Good For: fans of A Christmas Carol, writers, and fans of Charles Dickens.
Age Range: It is perfectly clean and fine for any age, but as I said, only watch this after reading or watching A Christmas Carol!
Overall Score: 8!

Bonus thoughts:

"I say a lot of things that are nonsense when I'm working."
I was looking forward to watching this ever since I had heard that it was coming out! I knew that Dan Stevens would be a fabulous Charles Dickens. My younger sister saw it in April of last year and I couldn't believe it because I kept telling her that you can only watch Christmas movies in December and January! Oh well.
The title implies that Charles Dickens made up Christmas, though in the movie it never claims that and as a Catholic I know the real story of Christmas, but this movie shows the creation of one of the best Christmas books ever written. A Christmas Carol shows the joy we need to have during Christmas, and always! There were a few random things that I would have liked to have been tied in better, but overall this is a very sweet movie, and I look forward to watching it again.

Sorry, I meant to have this post up yesterday, but at the time when I usually write my posts I realized that it was Jane Austen's birthday so of course I had to watch one of the movies based on her books.

Have any of you seen this movie? Do you love A Christmas Carol as much as I do? Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)

Ahoy, matey!

This fine day that ye find yerselves in just 'appens to be National Talk Like a Pirate Day!
Because of this occasion I am in a jolly mood to write a film review. Enjoy yerselves!

"I knew there was a good reason."

(Whew, it is really hard to type like this)

Here are the links to when I reviewed the first two movies:
Curse of the Black Pearl
Dead Man's Chest

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007):

Based on: the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland.
"For certain you have to be lost to find something that cannot be found, else everyone would know where it is."
Continuing from where the second movie ended, the crew head to Davy Jones's Locker to get help. They encounter different tests, and they also find that the loyalties among the crew might be divided. With the East Indian Trading Company on the rise and in control of the sea, pirates from all around the world will have to decide, is worth it to all join together and fight?
"And so despair leads to betrayal."

Genre: Swashbuckler, Adventure.

Length: approx. 169 minutes. Yeah, it's really long.

Costumes: 6, there are scenes were people are wearing no shirts, or things are low.

Script: 9, I didn't notice any bad words, and I'm usually very sensitive to that.
"Words whispered through prison bars loose their charm."

Crew:

Directed by: Gore Verbinski.

Written by: Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio.

Starring:
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.

"'You're mad!'

'Thank goodness for that because if I wasn't this probably wouldn't work.'" (This is actually one of my mottoes)

Orlando Bloom as Will Turner.

Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann.
Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa.
Bill Nighy as Davy Jones.

Tom Hollander as Cutler Beckett.

Kevin R. McNally as Gibbs.
Lee Arenberg and Mackenzie Crook as Pintel and Ragetti.

Jack Davenport as James Norrington.

Chow Yun-fat as Sao Feng.

Naomie Harris as Tia Dalma.

Stellan Skarsgård as Bootstrap Bill Turner.

Martin Klebba as Marty.

David Bailie as Cotton.
Jonathan Pryce as Weatherby Swann.
David Schofield as Mr. Mercer.
Keith Richards as Edward Teague.
Greg Ellis as Theodore Groves.

Cinematography: 9, it has some really cool things, though sometimes the CGI is a little obvious.

Cinematography by: Dariusz Wolski.

Music: 10! Oh, it is so good! One of my favorites.

Music by: Hans Zimmer.

Quotes: 9, "Now we're being followed by rocks. Never had that before."

Storyline: 5, fighting, violence, gruesome, death, hanging, bringing people back from the dead, drinking, and some very suggestive things. There is this one rather suggestive scene (with what leads up to it and what follows), but I was actually really pleased with how they did it because I had remembered it differently.
"Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness."

Good For: Anyone who loves swashbucklers (that's me) and adventure movies, whoever has had to make hard decisions, anyone who is missing people.

Age Range: It is rated PG-13 because there is a lot of fighting (and the suggestive scene I mentioned), and I would agree with that.

Overall Score: 8!

"We need to interrogate survivors and that works best when they're alive."

Bonus thoughts:
This movie is so long, and there is so much in here! I feel like I would understand more of it if I rewatched it a lot, but it is hard to find the time. The first and second movies will always be my favorites just because this one is a little too weird for me. It is a very satisfying conclusion (*cough*but now it isn't the end*cough*). Megan wrote a really good post on it that you should check out! (There are spoilers though).


Thank ye fer readin'! Which of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies is your favorite? Have a good National Talk Like a Pirate Day!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Hello!

Remember way back in October of 2017 when I reviewed the original Pirates of the Caribbean? Well, I'm finally getting around to the sequels. Sorry about the long wait.

Why am I getting to it now? Yesterday was Johnny Depp's birthday, so I have an excuse!

Enjoy!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006):

Based on: the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. (I still can't get over how they based this on a ride. Wow.)

'"My compass is unique."

"Unique here meaning broken."'

William Turner and Elizabeth Swann have been thrown in jail for assisting in the escape of a pirate. Lord Becket will only realize them from their fate if Will goes to find Jack Sparrow and brings back his compass. When Will finds him, Jack agrees to give him the compass, if he will help him find a key. The key unlocks a chest where the contents could control the whole sea. Jack tricks Will onto getting aboard the Flying Dutchman, the ship of Davy Jones and his undead pirate crew. Will finds that there may be more at stake then his and Elizabeth's lives. Meanwhile, Elizabeth escaped jail, along with carrying papers of mark. She goes across the sea to once again find William Turner.

'"It's a key!"

"No, much, much better: it's a drawing of a key."'

Genre: Swashbuckler, Adventure.

Length: approx. 150 minutes (yeah, it's long).

Costumes: 6, there are some low things, and several times when people are not wearing shirts.

Script: 8, one or two bad words.

'"You actually were telling the truth!"

"I do that a lot actually, you people are always surprised."'

Crew:

Directed by: Gore Verbinski.

Written by: Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio.

Starring:
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.

Orlando Bloom as Will Turner. "You have a touch of destiny about you."

Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann.

Bill Nighy as Davy Jones.

Stellan Skarsgård as "Bootstrap Bill" Turner.
Jack Davenport as James Norrington.
Kevin McNally as Gibbs.

Tom Hollander as Lord Beckett.
Jonathan Pryce as Governor Swann.
Lee Arenberg as Pintel.

Mackenzie Crook as Ragetti.
Naomie Harris as Tia Dalma.

Cinematography: 9, so there are parts that are a little dark, and others that you can obviously see the CGI, but the choreography is AMAZING. There is a fight scene in here that is so awesome, it is my favorite in any movie. (It isn't that violent, it is mostly a sword fight.)

Cinematography by: Dariusz Wolski

Music: 10! I love this score.

Music by: Hans Zimmer.

Quotes: 8. My sister and I quote this almost all the time:
"I've got a jar of dirt! I've got a jar of dirt! And guess what's inside it!"

Oscars won: Best Visual Effects.

Storyline: 5, Oh dear. Okay, so there is: death, gross things, scary things, drinking, smoking, kissing, torture, suggestive things, cannibalism, and loss of limbs. I am exhausted after typing all of that.

Good For: people who enjoy swashbucklers, people who like adventure.

Age Range: This is rated PG-13, so I would go with that (though I watched it when I was younger).

Overall Score: 7.5.

Bonus thoughts:
Usually I don't really like sequels, especially sequels that are building up to more sequels, but I really like this one. None of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are as good as Curse of the Black Pearl, but this one is really good. As I said, there are problems with it, but I LOVE the sword fights and music. Oh yeah.

Right now, my header has a picture from this movie:

The bottom center one. The top center one is from the first movie.


Have you seen this? What do you think? Thank you so much for reading!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Welcome to the third day of my Halloween Blog Party!

This entry doesn't actually have anything to do with what my sisters and I were. But, I realized that I had scheduled my blog party for four days, and there are only three of us, so I thought I would do a bonus review that was somewhat related!
(Clue: Pirates...)

This is actually based on the Disneyland Ride (weird, am I right?).

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless it says so.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003):

"Actually, I find it quite fascinating."

"That's what concerns me."

Elizabeth Swan, daughter of the Governor, is taken prisoner by a group of pirates under a curse. They think they need a medallion of hers and her blood to break the curse. Will Turner gets the help of pirate Captain Jack Sparrow to get Elizabeth back.
"I'm telling the story!"

Genre: Swashbuckler, Adventure.
Length: 143 minutes (approx.).
Costumes: 5, there are some good ones, but it is low, or people are in their underclothes a lot of the time.
"It is the latest fashion in England."
"Well, women in England must have learned to not breathe."
My favorite: I really really like this hat, I don't know why, but I always have. This is the best picture I could find.

Script: 7, there are a few bad words/swearing.
"It's such a pretty boat...ship."

Crew:
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Produced by: Jerry Bruckheimer
Story by: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie, & Jay Wolpert.
Starring:
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.

"You must be the worst pirate I have ever heard of."
"Ah, but you have heard of me."
Orlando Bloom as Will Turner.
Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa. "I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request."

Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann.

Jack Davenport as Commodore James Norrington.

Kevin McNally as Joshamee Gibbs.

Jonathan Pryce as Governor Weatherby Swann.

Zoe Saldana as Anamaria.
Lee Arenberg as Pintel.
Mackenzie Crook as Ragetti.
Damian O'Hare as Lieutenant Gillette..
Treva Etienne as Koehler.
Michael Berry Jr. as Twigg.
David Bailie as Cotton.
Christopher S. Capp as Mr. Cotton's Parrot.
Martin Klebba as Marty.
Isaac C. Singleton Jr. as Bo'sun.
Giles New as Murtogg.
Angus Barnett as Mullroy.
Greg Ellis as Lieutenant Theodore Groves.

Music: 10, it has a great soundtrack!
Music by:
Klaus Badelt
Hans Zimmer
Quotes: 8,
"No survivors? Then I wonder where all the stories come from."
Notes: There is an awesome sword fight scene!!!

Storyline: 4, there is death, suggestive stuff, intoxicated people, tattoos, kissing, skeletons, and lots and lots of extremely frightening, creepy images.

Good For: People who like pirate movies, People who like swashbucklers!

Overall Score: 7.

Thank you so much for reading!

MovieCritic