In the spirit of the holiday season, this week I recommend checking out the Netflix original Christmas special,A Very Murray Christmas. Featuring a slew of stars includingGeorge Clooney,Chris Rock, andAmy Poehler, theBill Murray-fronted,Sofia Coppola-directed special isn’t just a wonderfully entertaining seasonal treat but also yet another sign that Netflix isn’t trying to be like television, it is television. In my mind, if producing outstanding shows likeMaster of NoneandHouse of Cardsgets you in the conversation for being considered “television” then an excellent Christmas special likeA Very Murray Christmasseals the deal.
The show begins on Christmas Eve and the gist of the story is as such: Murray has signed on to do a live Christmas special but a blizzard has virtually shut NYC down meaning that he’ll have to go it alone rather than share it with his special guests (most notably missing is Pope Francis). This gives Murray good reason to play the lovable Scrooge as he laments the circumstances surrounding the special and turns to drinking to cope. The result is a Christmas special for adults rather than the whole family but you likely expected that from a Bill Murray Christmas special anyway. While the comedy is on point, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention that it features some stellar musical numbers under the direction ofPaul Shaffer. Specifically,Maya Rudolph’s rendition of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is incredible. Watch and enjoy with confidence.
This week’s recommendation in hand, let’s get to theTop 5:
New ‘Batman v Superman’ Trailer
Warner Bros. released anew trailerforBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicethis week and my biggest takeaway is that Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck are borderline too good looking to be on screen wearing suits (the dressy kind, not the superhero kind) at the same time. If I’m Jesse Eisenberg, I probably just decline to be in that scene all together until Cavill and Affleck agree to stop being so damn handsome.
‘Krampus’ Coverage
Michael Dougherty’sTrick ‘r Treatis essential Halloween viewing at my house and I’m hoping his take on Christmas,Krampus, becomes the same. I’ll find out soon enough because, while this weekend is full, I’m already making arrangements to see it in theaters next weekend.
Even without my box office dollars, however, the filmknocked offThe Hunger Gameson Friday which is a big accomplishment for a cult-ish horror flick. For more onKrampus,read Perri’s reviewandwatch the casttalk Christmas traditions.
4 Ways ‘Jessica Jones’ Raises the Bar
Speaking of all the great original “television” content that Netflix produces, it sounds as if we have another series to add to that list. Per Matt, Netflix/Marvel’sJessica Jonesnot only sets a new standard for Marvel television shows but for the entire MCU as a whole. Readhis breakdownof four ways that the series has raised the bar for Marvel Studios and see if you agree with his assessment.
I try to shy away from hyperbole, but George Miller’sMad Max: Fury Roadis an instant classic and a landmark entry in the action genre. While its Oscar fate remains to be seen, the National Board of Review namedFury RoadtheBest Film of 2015this past week which hopefully makes my opening sentence seem at least a little more rooted in reality than knee-jerk reactionism.
For more early awards season talk, be sure to also check out the New York Film Critics Circle’s2015 winners. Spoiler: their Best Picture award went to Todd Haynes’Carol.
Sundance 2016 Lineup Announced
More than any other film festival, each year I look forward to seeing the lineup for Sundance. This week the festival announced its initial lineup of films playing in the 2016 U.S. Competition, NEXT, and World Competition categories.Click herefor the full list of announced films. While I’m sure others will emerge, as of today some of my most anticipated titles areChristine,The Bad Kids, andSleight.
