298, Champagne Problems

Firstly - don't panic - I've not written a blog about a Taylor Swift song!

Champagne Problems (available on Netflix) is the first (and possibly the last) of the 2025 Christmas Movie Blogs, and the good bit is, it's not actually a proper Christmas movie.

Okay - it's 'set' at Christmas in Paris and the stunning Champagne region, it's slushy and romantic, the plot is super easy to work out and the cast is gorgeous.  To be honest, there is nothing really bad to say about it!  So perhaps it really is a Christmas Movie!

In brief - our loveable lead (Sydney - played by Minka Kelly / Ransom Canyon) is tasked by her boss to head over to Paris, at Christmas to buy-out a failing Vinyard.  She meets a guy on her first night there, kind of falls in love, is late for her meeting the next day - turns up, faced with a room full of other investors all after the same thing and would you believe it! Guess who turns up as the Son of the Vineyard owner.  (Don't worry - not really a spoiler - its very predictable!) 

Next stop - they all get whisked away for a weekend at the Vineyard in Champagne, to get to learn about the business, the owner - and all basically just have a lovely time so he can make up his mind who he wants to sell too.

What made this move for me is the characters.  There really is no one to dislike.  Sydney (Minka) is just adorable, the love interest (Henri) is suarve and friendly - his Dad (Hugo) is just the nicest man on the planet and then there are the other bidders.  Roberto, the Gay Billionaire who just wants to party.  Otto, the up-tight German who is all about efficieny (stereo-typed to the max!) and Brigitte, the local French woman who has a history with the widowed Vineyard owner.  Even if they tried to make you dislike any of them, you just can't.  

The script joyfully skips along at quite a decent pace & the surroundings / settings are stunning, albeit the scene set within the Parisian Christmas Markets (I hear on good authority) is never that calm and friendly! 

Does it peak at any point?  Is there the build up to the high, followed by the low, and then the happy ending moment - of course there is, but it's done is such a way that you dont care if you know how it's all going to end within the first 10 minutes, it's actually a lovely little watch.

Will it make you feel Christmassy?  Possibly, but it WILL make you wish you were in Paris for Christmas and if you're like us, 40 minutes into the movie we were goolging 'Vineyard get-aways in Champagne' for the new year (mostly unnafordable of course) but we can only dream.

It won't go down as a Christmas Classic and I'll probably read over this blog again in a few years time wondering what the hell this movie was all about, as there are dozens with the same sort of premise but for the here and now, make sure you add this one to your Christmas 2025 viewing.  If anything, it'll make a nice change to Elf and The Holiday I'm sure! 

(Images used in blog are sourced from IMDB, The guardian, Parade, Radio times & US Weekly)

297, Frankenstein

 

A new offering from Netflix this month is Guillermo del Toro's re-imagining of Frankenstein, taken as always from the 1818 Mary Shelley Novel.

I have to admit, of the 60+ movie adaptations of this book (so far), I dont recall ever actually watching one in full! (or even reading the book!).  The classic 1931 version is deemed the most iconic, characterising the 'creature' with the high forehead & bolts in the neck and there have been dozens more versions in between that and this most recent offering, but I am not really in the best position to compare this to either these prior movies or the novel itself however, it appears del Toro's version is being priased for not only being "faithfull to the original text" but also hailed as "a great and powerfull modern re-telling".

Our story starts as many do now,  at the end - with the first half of the film narrated retrospectively by Victor Frankenstein himself, being chased across the NorthPole by his creation, only to be saved by a Navy Sea Captain who with his crew, set out to protect Victor from his hunter and it's to this Captain that Victor re-tells his tale.  Oscar Isaac portays the inventor and does a pretty good job.  Erratic, funny in parts, obsessive and single minded, we flash back to memories of childhood and his doting mother and overbearing father (played by Charles Dance) who, as a world leading Surgeon, is intent on ensuring his eldest son follow in his footsteps, which to all intents and purposes Victor does, only to be consumed with the objective of re-creating life which lays out our plan for the remainder of this first act.

The creating of the creature itself for me, was probably the highlight of the movie.  Victor meets Harlander (played by Christoph Waltz) who, with an ulterior motive, after seeing Victors presentation of his early works on re-invention offers unlimited funds to support his project.  They aquire a desolate tower in the middle of nowhere and set about creating the laboratory in which our tale begins.  

The lab itself was more reminiscent to Jim Carey's 'Riddlers' lair in Batman Forever and the horrific process, graphically portratyed by del Toro with the chopping up and splicing together of body parts was gruesome, but somehow, being set to a very uplfting and cheerfull soundtrack suddenly made it all enjoyable and fun - removing the viewer from the actual horrors of what was happening before your very eyes.     

Now, I can only assume that as in the original novel, Frankenstein becomes frustratred with his creation - deeming it a failed experiment and nothing like what he imagined so sets out to destroy the creature, with disasterous consequences.

There are many other elements I've purposely missed at this point.  A yonger brother and his fiance* that causes distuption for Victor - Harlanders ulterior motive, Victors own struggles and how that plays out but, all in all - Act 1 is great fun.

Back on the Navy Ship and after Victor finishes his story to the Naval Sea Captain, we switch to the 2nd part of the movie and we actually get to hear the Creatures side of things.  His portrayal of events that has led him to the North Pole and to hunting down his creator.

For a 'Frankensteins Monster', forget the bolts and high forehead, the slow marching, arms out in front and constant moaning.  This creature is actually quite a handome chap.  Played by Jacob Elordi, I kept getting flashbacks to a less 'shiny' version of Paul Bettany's Vision / J.A.R.V.I.S (Marvel) with the two tone skin colouring and smooth head (with hair that grew over time).  The Creature is somewhat a caring soul - dangerous, strong and deadly yes, but childlike and wanting to experience new things - none of which is seen by Victor (or seen but ignored) but only understood by Elizabeth* - the aforementioned fiance of the younger brother.

After managing to escape Victors first attempt at destruction, the Creature sets out on his own adventure, seeking hidden refuge with a family of hunters and learing how to speak and understand reality from an old blind man played by David Bradley (Filch from the Harry Potter movies) who takes pity on our anti-hero and in the absence of his own family, spurs the creature on to seek out his creator and set the record straight.  

As with Victors story, I've purposely left out some key points of act 2 but one to highlight is the brutal nature of the Creature lending itself to a fantastic wolf fight.  Again, hide your eyes if you're more the squemish type, but once all is said and done we end up back at the North Pole, on the Naval ship, with Inventor and Creator reunited and Victor finally getting to understand what he has created.

Overall I really enjoyed this one.  At nearly 2.5hrs long it didn't really seem to drag at any point.  The story itself  I found fast paced and they manage to cram an awful lot ino this movie.  The Cinematography and acting was fantastic, a little campy in parts - but aren't all monster movies?  

The scenery is breathtaking - beautiful surrounding from high luxury stately homes to desolate northern wastelands and great but subtle special effects.  Let's just say, the CGI used on some of the wild animals would feel just as easily at home in the new Snow White movie than it does in this.

If like me you think know all about Frankenstein but only through what you've heard or believe to be accurate - give ths one a go.  If you have seen other variations, namely the Kenneth Branagh outing from 94' then definately check this one out as it should make a good comparison.

Scary? Not really.  Brutal? Occasionally. Future Classic? Probably not - but, this movie should stand up strong against prior versions and I can now say, pretty confidently - ask me about Frankenstein and his Creature, and I can tel you what it's all about!.

(Images used in blog are sourced from IMDB, Empire Magazine, House & Garden, Broadway Cinema, & The Shaving Room)

 

296, Hedda

Hedda is a current Amazon Prime release that follows a single evening in the company of Mr & Mrs Tesman, predominantly Hedda - the wife to George Tesman who, besotted with his wife, has recently purchased a significant sized estate to afford her the life of luxury and ceremony that she desires.

The evening focusses on a party, thrown at Hedda's request, that sees prominent figures from literature and education thrown together with friends from Hedda's past in a hedonistic, boozy & egotistical evening of pleasure and betrayal.

Hedda's past life is a mixed bag of socialite dating, power grabbing, bullying and a sense of self importance - most of which appear to be very much unknown to Hedda's rather naive husband and it becomes clear very early on that the house, the lifestyle and the promises afforded to Hedda all focus on a promotion at work for George, that comes under threat when the arrival of Eileen Lovborg sends the party into a spiral.  Armed with a new manuscript in-hand, something she believes is a sure-fire way of her securing the job instead, initially believed to be a 'given' for George - the environment intensifies and Hedda start to manipulate the situation, guests and the activities to play out to her benefit.

Originally a play - the single setting of the house and party give itself easily to a stage production.  I couldn't help getting Gatsby vibes when watching this, albeit Hedda is set around 30 years later but for me there were many comparisons, especially the party itself - the setting, the grounds, the clothes and the frivolity - to me, all very similar.

Being a character driven screenplay I would admit there appears to be very little in the sense of a plot line.  The real funs starts when Eileen arrives - and the backstory between her and Hedda soon becomes apparent, as does Hedda's past life and how she ended up where she is, much to everyones surprise as this was not the life some believed she should have.  

Eileen (played brilliantly by Nina Hoss - who I have only seen in Jack Ryan, 2022) is definitely the star of the show for me.  Hiding a dark past herself which does get some explanation,  the relationship with Hedda comes from a seemingly dark place,  either through abuse of power or position - even perhaps adoration or obsession we only get the headlines but this becomes the focus of the story and one that plays out to its conclusion.

Some may find this movie isn't their cup of tea - would it have been better on the stage? Well, perhaps.  I however did enjoy it.  It's all about the characters and their ulterior motives that captured my interest - the power play between George and Hedda, the involvement of Eileen and Thea (Eileen's +1 to the party) along with yet another side interest of Hedda's - Roland and the many other guests that all seem apparent to the continuation of the story as we make our way through the night, only to end up the following morning with a police investigation and some questions to be answered.

The whole film is set to an over indulgent soundtrack - fast paced percussion pretty much throughout and songs from the time - I was confused about the addition of Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet" but found out (after googling) that it was actually a cover of an original 50's track that now all makes sense!  I do think the music was heavy & defiantly being used to build tension and atmosphere but it worked very well in parts and did add another level to a plot so heavily focussed on the spoken word.

How does it end?  Well, that's for you to find out yourselves - historically this blog won't ever really give the game away but If you liked Gatsby, if Theatre screenplays are your thing - if you like a story that includes intrigue and deceit then this may be a hidden gem you'll thank me for.  If these are not you're your thing - don't blame me - you were warned! 

(Images used in blog are sourced from IMDB, BBC, Vanity Fair, The Guardian & Rotten Tomatoes)

295, A House of Dynamite

Well, if you all thought my comeback post, 'Trainspotting 2' (Blog #294) in 2017 was a welcome return to the blog, only to be dissapointed with a 'one off' submission following a 3yrs gap then rest assured, I'm re-vitalised, re-married, re-invigorated and the blog is back!

In a world that's 11yrs older than it was last time out (ignore the T2 post!) so much has changed! 

Is the written a blog a thing of the past?  Do I have it in me to re-launch onto Tik-Tok or result to viral streaming to visualise my ramblings - or are there enough of you out there still interested in the typed script, well, we will see!

The Blog will now take a new turn - with the successes of Netflix, Paramount+, Apple TV, Disney +, Amazon Prime plus much better terrestial T.v offerings outside of 'soap world', you don't need to go to the Cinema four times a week to keep up with all the new releases.  There is so much Blockbuster action now focussing itself into streaming services and big named stars appearing in TV shows that I am hoping to blog more about the everyday accessible viewing, not just the cinema realeases that are very much (for me), few and far between compared to the beginnings of this blog and hopefully - everyone will be happy!

Where to start!

Box sets have exploded - the 'binge' TV show is a current normality for most and my household is no different - saving up espisodes to smash out over a week or weekend.  The culture of 'everything everywhere all at once' (see what I did there?) has gripped us all so although this blog is a return to publication (and don't worry - there is a movie I have in mind to kick things off) - let's not forget some of the awesome stuff I've missed out on talking about over the last few years.  If you have ever read my blog and used it to decide what to watch - then below is especially for you!

Netflix:

Territory, The Diplomat, Lincoln Lawyer, Gangs of London, Black Doves, American Primevil, The Night Agent, Riviera, House of Guiness.

Disney+

Rivals, Skeleton Crew, Dr Odessey

Sky

Industry, The Penguin, The Day of the Jackal, Sweet-Pea, Dune Prophecy, Seal Team, SWAT

Apple TV

Disclaimer, Your Friends and Neighbours, Slow Horses, Highest to Lowest, The Morning Show

Paramount+ (Or, the Taylor Sheridan channel!)

Lioness,  Yellowstone (plus all prequals), Landman, The Agency, Mobland, Tulsa King

Amazon Prime 

The Better Sister, Lie to Me, Ballard, Suga, The Termination List: Dark Wolf, Marching Powder, Handmaids Tale, Cross 

(and many more I have probably missed - so just a few thousand of viewing there to crack on with - all recommended!)

............ and don't even ask me to list the hundreds of movies I've seen inbetween all of that!  Just imagine if I had stuck with it across the last 11 years, - I'd be well on my way to over 1000 posts.  

That's 2017 to 2025 all caught up - on with the Blog.

A House of Dynamite on Netflix starts out as a gripping thriller - set 18 minutes from potential USA devestation, you get to see the launch of an undisclosed foreign power nuclear weapon making a beeline for central USA and our story focusses on key areas of American Government, Defense and Public Opinion that has you gripped to your cushion and sitting on the edge of your seat for the first 40 minutes.  

The cast is phenominal - Rebecca Ferguson, Idris Elba, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Jason Clarke - the list goes on.  Netflix can command this sort of cast & this size of budget and they rarely dissapoint so by the time the movie gets to around 37 minutes - I am as excited as a puppy with 2 tail's and then.....................reset.

Yes! just like that - seconds from devestation we get a rewind and Act 2 begins.  Basically, a repeat of Act 1 but from another perspective.  

Okay - breathe, they are building anticipation - no need to panic.  

But alas, Act 2 lacts the conviction of Act 1.  Is this because we now know whats happening - so nothing is a surprise?  Perhaps the Director (Kathryn Bigalow - Hurt Locker, Zero-Dark-Thirty) wanted a soft reset, to allow the chance for that anticipation to build once more - high following high? and just as you get there again, ACT 3!  another reset - come on!

The movie has been out a few weeks now so assuming some of you have already seen it, I dont want to spoil the ending for the rest - but for those who have seen it, I'm sure they would agree with me that we should spoil it for you!  If anything to save you from a complete dissapointment at the end and save you all the 112 minutes of your life you'd waste if you do watch all of this movie.

I read that the idea was to prompt a conversation - what would you do in this situation but in reality, we all like a conclusion to our movies or shows!  I remember 'Lost' - did they ever really explain it (I never got to the end) so to commit to the promise of this film - the cast, the director - the expectation.  I have to say, it sadly wasn't really for me.

That said - DO watch the first 40 minutes as a 'TV episode' and you get all you need - excitement, anticipation - and if I remember, you get to play "Guess the President" (as you only hear his voice in Act 1) 

Well - that's Post 295 done and dusted.  I hope my loyals will come back to me (I think we got over 20,000 at it's peak) which I know is nothing compared to the dizzy heights of streamers nowadays but I'm back in my happy place, and I look forward to you all sharing the ride with me.