by Josh Sewell
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
(Rated PG for some thematic elements and peril. Available on Netflix starting November 13.)
In the past, Netflix’s holiday output was closer in budget and quality to the fluff viewers see on the Hallmark Channel or Lifetime. Even 2018’s The Christmas Chronicles, which got a lot of mileage out of Kurt Russell’s charismatic Santa, looked like it was filmed on a Canadian backlot.
That’s why their latest effort, David E. Talbert’s Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, comes as such a surprise. The streaming service is swinging for the fences here, aiming to create a new classic that families will watch year after year.
I have to say, based on my pleasant experience watching it and an underserved audience who will love finally getting to see themselves represented in a magical holiday world, that might be a real possibility. Netflix clearly invested a ton of money in this film, as evidenced by the impressive cast, surprisingly effective special effects, and some fantastic musical numbers.
While the story at the center is basically a retread of several other Christmas flicks, the combination works well enough that Jingle Jangle is heartwarming fun that younger viewers in particular will enjoy.
The plot is deceptively simple: a kind grandmother (Phylicia Rashad) reads her young grandchildren a Christmas story about legendary toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker). He’s beloved by the town of Cobbleton for his wondrous inventions, but that ends when his trusted apprentice (Keegan-Michael Key) steals his book of ideas. Years later, it’s up to his equally bright and inventive granddaughter Journey (Madalen Mills) to heal old wounds and reawaken the magic within.
In addition to impressive production design, fun songs, and energetic choreography, the performances exceed what audiences typically see in the influx of holiday movies we get every November and December. Whitaker’s work is surprisingly nuanced and melancholy for such a light film.
His character’s reaction to grief and betrayal gives the story actual stakes. That’s much better than the usual contrived obstacle that gets in the way of a happy ending. Not that a joyous conclusion is ever in doubt here, but Whitaker instills Jangle with real pain and fear to work through before he can heal.
Key is also good as the film’s human antagonist, giving the character a believable, empathetic motivation for his betrayal. Of course, it doesn’t help that he has an evil toy (a hilarious, scenery-chewing Ricky Martin) acting as the devil on his shoulder. Still, the most endearing work comes from newcomer Mills, who avoids the usual cutesy quirks most child actors fall prey to.
Like a lot of Christmas musicals, Jingle Jangle overstays its welcome a bit (Talbert could’ve easily shaved off 15-20 minutes to improve the pacing). However, the film is a great choice to play while families decorate their Christmas trees or build gingerbread houses. It’s tough to watch without smiling.
Grade: B+
Fatman
(Rated R for bloody violence, and language. Opens in limited release on November 13 and available on VOD starting November 17.)
An action movie about a grizzled, burned-out Santa who’s being tracked by a hitman sounds like one of those twisted fake trailers that goes viral on YouTube, but it’s very real. Sadly, like most grindhouse flicks of yesteryear, the execution doesn’t quite live up to the premise. Still, there are some fun moments that make it worth a rental – particularly to see how a fantastic actor manages to elevate disappointing material.
To save his declining business, Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson) and his wife Ruth (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) are forced to sign a lucrative deal with the U.S. military that has his elves making parts for fighter jets. If that wasn’t bad enough, a rich, psychotic 12-year-old (Chance Hurstfield) is furious that he got a lump of coal in his stocking, so he hires an eccentric assassin (Walton Goggins) to take out the once-jolly figure.
Because Fatman was clearly shot fast and cheap, the fun doesn’t really kick in until the last act. Beforehand, writing-directing team Eshom and Ian Nelms must rely on the charisma of their stars. Sometimes that works – i.e., whenever Goggins shows up. I think the man is incapable of giving a bad performance, even when the project around him is less-than-stellar. He plays the nameless hitman totally straight, so that his oddball behavior and one-liners, while still funny, feel unhinged at the same time.
However, relying on actors to deliver pyrotechnics doesn’t always have the same effect. Gibson is still a terrific performer (although his real-life baggage affected how I viewed his work; your mileage may vary) and his decision to underplay such a ridiculous interpretation of a beloved character makes sense on paper. However, in practice, it means he’s squandered for long stretches of the film. It’s a blast to see him face off against Goggins at the end, but sometimes it’s a slog to get there.
It doesn’t help that Hurstfield never feels like a genuine threat as the evil kid. Any time the movie returned to his subplot, I felt my attention waning and wishing we could get back to Goggins’ assassin character. That constant sense of disorientation speaks to the biggest problem with Fatman – it’s two or three different movies squished together, but only one of them is interesting.
Grade: C
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
 |
| Courtesy of Netflix |
(Rated PG for some thematic elements and peril. Available on Netflix starting November 13.)
In the past, Netflix’s holiday output was closer in budget and quality to the fluff viewers see on the Hallmark Channel or Lifetime. Even 2018’s The Christmas Chronicles, which got a lot of mileage out of Kurt Russell’s charismatic Santa, looked like it was filmed on a Canadian backlot.
That’s why their latest effort, David E. Talbert’s Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, comes as such a surprise. The streaming service is swinging for the fences here, aiming to create a new classic that families will watch year after year.
I have to say, based on my pleasant experience watching it and an underserved audience who will love finally getting to see themselves represented in a magical holiday world, that might be a real possibility. Netflix clearly invested a ton of money in this film, as evidenced by the impressive cast, surprisingly effective special effects, and some fantastic musical numbers.
While the story at the center is basically a retread of several other Christmas flicks, the combination works well enough that Jingle Jangle is heartwarming fun that younger viewers in particular will enjoy.
The plot is deceptively simple: a kind grandmother (Phylicia Rashad) reads her young grandchildren a Christmas story about legendary toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker). He’s beloved by the town of Cobbleton for his wondrous inventions, but that ends when his trusted apprentice (Keegan-Michael Key) steals his book of ideas. Years later, it’s up to his equally bright and inventive granddaughter Journey (Madalen Mills) to heal old wounds and reawaken the magic within.
In addition to impressive production design, fun songs, and energetic choreography, the performances exceed what audiences typically see in the influx of holiday movies we get every November and December. Whitaker’s work is surprisingly nuanced and melancholy for such a light film.
His character’s reaction to grief and betrayal gives the story actual stakes. That’s much better than the usual contrived obstacle that gets in the way of a happy ending. Not that a joyous conclusion is ever in doubt here, but Whitaker instills Jangle with real pain and fear to work through before he can heal.
Key is also good as the film’s human antagonist, giving the character a believable, empathetic motivation for his betrayal. Of course, it doesn’t help that he has an evil toy (a hilarious, scenery-chewing Ricky Martin) acting as the devil on his shoulder. Still, the most endearing work comes from newcomer Mills, who avoids the usual cutesy quirks most child actors fall prey to.
Like a lot of Christmas musicals, Jingle Jangle overstays its welcome a bit (Talbert could’ve easily shaved off 15-20 minutes to improve the pacing). However, the film is a great choice to play while families decorate their Christmas trees or build gingerbread houses. It’s tough to watch without smiling.
Grade: B+
Fatman
 |
| Courtesy of Saban Films |
(Rated R for bloody violence, and language. Opens in limited release on November 13 and available on VOD starting November 17.)
An action movie about a grizzled, burned-out Santa who’s being tracked by a hitman sounds like one of those twisted fake trailers that goes viral on YouTube, but it’s very real. Sadly, like most grindhouse flicks of yesteryear, the execution doesn’t quite live up to the premise. Still, there are some fun moments that make it worth a rental – particularly to see how a fantastic actor manages to elevate disappointing material.
To save his declining business, Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson) and his wife Ruth (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) are forced to sign a lucrative deal with the U.S. military that has his elves making parts for fighter jets. If that wasn’t bad enough, a rich, psychotic 12-year-old (Chance Hurstfield) is furious that he got a lump of coal in his stocking, so he hires an eccentric assassin (Walton Goggins) to take out the once-jolly figure.
Because Fatman was clearly shot fast and cheap, the fun doesn’t really kick in until the last act. Beforehand, writing-directing team Eshom and Ian Nelms must rely on the charisma of their stars. Sometimes that works – i.e., whenever Goggins shows up. I think the man is incapable of giving a bad performance, even when the project around him is less-than-stellar. He plays the nameless hitman totally straight, so that his oddball behavior and one-liners, while still funny, feel unhinged at the same time.
However, relying on actors to deliver pyrotechnics doesn’t always have the same effect. Gibson is still a terrific performer (although his real-life baggage affected how I viewed his work; your mileage may vary) and his decision to underplay such a ridiculous interpretation of a beloved character makes sense on paper. However, in practice, it means he’s squandered for long stretches of the film. It’s a blast to see him face off against Goggins at the end, but sometimes it’s a slog to get there.
It doesn’t help that Hurstfield never feels like a genuine threat as the evil kid. Any time the movie returned to his subplot, I felt my attention waning and wishing we could get back to Goggins’ assassin character. That constant sense of disorientation speaks to the biggest problem with Fatman – it’s two or three different movies squished together, but only one of them is interesting.
Grade: C
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