Welcome, Merry Makers!

The festive season is upon us! After many years of promising myself that I would have a Christmas blog I have finally done it, with the encouragement of my fellow Christmas addicts ;)

I have decided to christen my first post with a film review. One of my favourite festive films, Mixed Nuts (1994), directed by Nora Ephron and based on the 1982 French film Le Père Noël est une ordure. This is a rather unconventional Christmas film, a comedy that explores some darker themes in a light hearted fashion, but I have a great fondness for it and I think it deserves to be celebrated.

This film is my Christmas Eve movie, to be watched last thing in the evening with a stack of Wiltshire Ham flavoured crisps, after the final touches to present wrapping and food preparation have been implemented. I have indulged in this little tradition of mine for fourteen years now and it still feels special.

But I shall cease with the food talk, and concentrate on the film. The film is set in California on Christmas Eve. A far echo from the openings of traditional Christmas films, this title replaces the pure white snow with the glistening white sands of Venice Beach. As the opening credits roll, someone in a full snowman costume skates down the boardwalk in rollerblades. You just don’t see that very often! The film focuses on three employees at a non-profit crisis hotline called Lifesavers; Philip (Steve Martin), Catherine (Rita Wilson) and Mrs Munchnik (Madeline Kahn). It is against the rules for them to divulge information about their own lives over the phone but they find it helps as their depressed callers often pity them! Christmas Eve begins like any normal working day, but when Philip discovers they are being evicted from the building and tries to conceal it from the others a series of unexpected, horrible and wonderful things happen that draw in other people around them and make this a Christmas to remember! The usual Christmas themes are explored like charity, wishes, appreciation for what you have, honesty, changing your ways and acceptance.   

This movie contains everything – comedy, romance, drama, action and a real festive feeling despite the warm climate. The soundtrack is fun and like the film itself it steers away from the more recognisable versions of seasonal songs and embraces quirkier tracks. Perhaps offbeat is the word I am looking for. The mood of this film is so perky and light that it turns what should be inappropriate into a jolly good time. The writing, directing and acting all culminate to make a perfect watch. It should be considered a holiday classic, I implore everyone who loves festive films to see it this Christmas (or before). I will not spoil this movie for you, as it is not a mainstream film where we all know the ending before it has finished.  

I envy you all now, as you can buy this movie and watch it as soon as the mince pies hit the shelves (Actually, I think that happened in August) but I will have to wait until Christmas Eve to experience the joy with a hefty supply of Ham flavoured crisps.