Love Actually - yes or no?

[WarmSausageTea]

I fancy watching something festive, and I’m wondering about watching LA. I saw it 10+ years ago, and wasn’t keen, but I have had gin and am feeling quite chilled.

So, LA, yes or no? And if no, can I have some cheesy Christmas film recs, please? (I loved Last Christmas and the three Netflix prince films.)

Thanks.

"Er no, he asks her to marry him the very first time he actually speaks to her. He doesn't know her at all."

True. But they are still together 15 years later with a happy family life according to the comic relief update 😂

Actually Jingle All the Way is an awful film yet many people love it. Let's break it down:

It's the story of a guy who takes his family for granted pretty much all year round and even more so at Christmas, lets his son down multiple times, lies to his wife, steals from his neighbour's child, and only sees what he's missing when another guy starts muscling in.

Don't forget the animal abuse where Arnie's character punches a reindeer, and feeds it beer. And don't even get me started on the part played by Sinbad in this 'feel good holiday romp' because quite frankly the whole thing is an all round thoroughly horrible film.

Love Actually is supposed to be a caricature of everyday characters, and each character is an extreme. It's not meant to be taken seriously, it's a comedy ffs. You're not supposed to find them all likeable.That's the whole point of entertainment, cheer for the good guys and boo the villains.

And equal rights is not the same as feminism. I think you'll find there's far more to it than that. But I don't have the time nor the inclination to start debating it.

Colin saw the girls as sex objects?! Definitely the other way round, he was completely bowled over and in thrall to them!

"Oh so it was just his private wank video that he filmed of her at her wedding and didn't want her to see, as it was so "private"?
That's not actually any better "

I think he meant to film a nice normal wedding video of both of them, but when he came to edit it he realised he'd just filmed her because he was so in luuuurrrrrvvveee.

@Kippure

Why would he be a pawn in Laura Linney's fantasy? She's fancied him from afar for years to the point where it's obvious to everyone in the agency, it seems to be mutual, and when they actually go to bed together it's all going well until she takes the phonecall. And then the other phone call.

And as she mystifyingly does not use her words then or later to explain that it's her beloved, intellectually-disabled brother calling in distress from his residential unit, Karl writes her off as a flake, or assumes she's two-timing him, and she's heartbroken. But still won't use her words.

I mean, the mystifying thing in that storyline is why neither of these mutually-attracted characters actually talk to one another, and why Laura Linney attends Kiera Knightley and Chiwetel Ejiofor's wedding wearing a woolly hat that you'd wear hillwalking in January...

My take from these scenes was that Karl knew it was her brother on the phone - he asks when the phone goes for the second time "will it make it better" (or something to that effect) so for me he knew about her brother and the number of calls she gets from him. I thought it was more about her not being able to give enough of herself or her time to anyone other than her brother.

I like love actually. It was never meant to be dissected fully - it is a comedy

I think he meant to film a nice normal wedding video of both of them, but when he came to edit it he realised he'd just filmed her because he was so in luuuurrrrrvvveee.

Cue one of the most disingenuous moments in the history of film when Keira Knightley glows and says 'I look quite pretty!', clearly under the impression that she usually looks like Jabba the Hutt, but scrubbed up nicely on her wedding day.

That article makes me laugh every time I read it. "Cock-blocktopus" always raises a snort of laughter from me.

I can take or leave Love Actually tbh, it has some nice moments; although the reason for it isn't good, Rowan Atkinson gift wrapping that necklace for Alan Rickman makes me laugh.
And the Bill Nighy bits are funny (and the end bit of his story is nice), but the rest is a bit shit.

But then I don't rate any of the Home Alone films and The Holiday is shite (also, if you're playing Whamaggedon, don't watch it or at least mute until after the office party bit as its playing in the background).

I love Elf, Fred Claus, Scrooged, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and I always make a point of watching The Snowman on Christmas Eve and have done since the early 80s.

🤣 at Keira Knightly looking like Jabba the Hutt. onlythepianoplayer have you seen Love Actually or just read the article, you don't seem to know much about it.

The one i hate is Jack Frost with Michael Keaton, just awful.

onlythepianoplayer have you seen Love Actually or just read the article, you don't seem to know much about it

I was made watch it, and its pretty clear from my posts I know plenty about ut.

Ugh I hate it in theory. There is not one storyline that isn't utterly cringeworthy and contrived.

Martine meeting the PM and being too low to introduce herself without swearing like a sailor. But he finds it simply irresistible. As if!

The PM dressing down the US Prez to that music, while everyone stares in awed admiration 🤢

The script really is dire. Characters beyond annoying and I root for no-one. That said, it's very festive and to my genuine shame I admit I do watch it if it's on during crimbo! As you can tell by my recollection of the above scenes 😭🙈

Jingle All The Way in the other hand is an absolute crimbo classic!!!

I love The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Imagine -
always winter and never Christmas!
Also adore Last Christmas and all the great shots of London and the sarky British comments and the OTT Christmassy feel. I’d love in that Christmas shop....

Klaus is a surprisingly good film.
It came out last year.
I love a cheesy Christmas film but Last Christmas was too much for me.

I absolutely detest it, apart from the scene with Rowan Atkinson. Genius

Walked out of the cinema when it first came out. It’s pretty crap.

Before I started paying attention to the sexist crap, I always thought that the timeline is ridiculous. There is no way Thomas Brodie-Sangster had time to learn the drums to perform at that standard in the school play (he would have needed to be at a high standard at the start of the film to be cast in the play and rehearse during the film).

And what school has the Xmas play on Xmas eve??

And how was the work Xmas party not booked months in advance??

Bill Night is good though.

The Holiday is awful too. So cheesy and cliched.

Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman don't split up do they? She meets him at the airport at the end. It looks like she's swept his affair under the carpet.

It's a Wonderful Life - is essentially a perfect film as far as I can make out.

Also lovely is When Harry Met Sally - often overlooked as a Xmas film but in fact contains a lot of gorgeous Xmas in New York scenes and ends on NYE.

Finally Paddington 2! I have a new appreciation for Hugh Grant's performances and think he's actually a really underrated actor. Paddington 2 is a quality family Xmas film and enjoyable even without DC!

I don't like Hugh Grant, well i don't like the stuttery twitty character that he usually plays but he was great in Paddington 2 and and in most parts he has played since that.
A wonderful life is a great movie but i hate the way the wife is portrayed in the alternative life, she didn't marry so is a pitiful spinster, i know it's of it's time but it irks me.

"Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman don't split up do they? She meets him at the airport at the end. It looks like she's swept his affair under the carpet. "

I think I read that Richard curtis said they did. Can't remember where though.

The good things about the film, I think, is that it has an amazing cast. It has several Oscar winners. I’m too lazy to actually Google how many. I like the concept and the way the stories are woven together. I also think London looks great and they got a good balance between it being christmassy but not over the top.

But, I think the dialog has aged badly. The casual sexism and the way the female characters are portrayed is really embarrassing to watch now. It’s actually a movie I wish they’d redo and make more modern and appealing.

I think Emma and Alan R are back together at the end, but the look she gives him when she says "home" is so sad, it's obvious things will never be the same again.

Detest that film.

Bloody hell! It must be exhausting to read so much into a cheesy light hearted film! It’s not a documentary FFS!!!

Babe is the best film ever :)