There’s a cliche that (almost) all christmas movies they have the same formulaand to make at least one of them effective, you need to follow it. But there are at least two reasons that weaken this claim. First, time flies, and lists of Christmas classics aren’t all that different from the lists of, say, ten years ago… no matter how red and green Hallmark and Netflix paint their catalogs. The other is that two movies that turned 20 years old have become unrivaled Christmas classics: ‘Love Actually’ and ‘Elf.’. The latter premiered in Spain twenty years ago on 12 December.
Is it possible to bring two such different films together for different reasons than their common 20th birthday? Clear. At first glance they look like eggs in a chestnut. ‘Love Actually’, the debut film from then-screenwriter Richard Curtis (who wrote ‘Notting Hill’ and ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’), follows films of lives intersecting to tell several tales of love and heartbreak in London at Christmas . In the other, Jon Favreau, then known as an actor, told the story of a giant elf who got lost in New York during the holidays.
One is a romantic comedy with an overwhelming cast: Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth… The number of stars is obscenely large. The other is a family comedy inspired by the visual universe of stop motion production company Rankin/Bass., particularly in ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ (1964), with comedian Will Ferrell posing as the titular elf, and to this day remains unique and unclassifiable. Yet many things unite them. First, they are films that avoid cynicism and irony, which makes them very exotic in today’s eyes.
Timeless Christmas Classic
Both Curtis and Favreau seemed very clear that they wanted to make pure Christmas movies, without belittling or perverting the subgenre. In the ‘Elf’ section of the ‘Movies That Made Us’ (2019-) series, it is said that one of the goals Favreau set for himself when agreeing to direct the film written by a novice and unknown screenwriter was: “to make a timeless Christmas classic.” At the core of both movies are love, people, and, as corny as it sounds (it’s not so bad if it seems that way now), magic.. So, without getting into comparisons, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life!’ The content of classics such as. (1946), ’34. ‘Miracle on the Street’ (1947), ‘Gremlins’ (1984) or ‘Home Alone’ (1990).
It’s true that ‘Love Actually’ has not aged well in some ways.. Due to the 20th anniversary of the American channel ABC bringing together its team for the special program ‘The Laughter and Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later’, many voices have emerged focusing on the most controversial issues related to the series. film. People talk and write (for no good reason) about misogyny, fatphobia, or a social representation that is not very diverse (in every sense).. In the ABC documentary and in a conversation with his daughter at the Cheltenham literary festival, Curtis claimed he regretted many of the decisions he made regarding female representation and diversity in his early films: “That lack of diversity bothered me.” It bothers you, and it’s a bit stupid. “There are things I would change, but thank God society is changing, so it’s preordained that my film will seem outdated in some respects.”
contagious energy
In some ways, ‘Love Actually’, like thousands of films of its time and many others, has become obsolete. This doesn’t save him. But you shouldn’t get attached to him more than others because he is so popular. Of course you have to be aware of its faults, but you also have to appreciate what makes it unrivaled as a Christmas classic. In addition to this escape from sarcasm, there’s an infectious energy, the charisma of the actors, hugely iconic scenes (from Hugh Grant dancing to Emma Thompson’s moment with Joni Mitchell singing in the background), and the joy of the scripts and commentary. ones that aren’t overly concerned about being cheesy, ridiculous, or believable.
All of these are in ‘Elf’ too. If the Christmas spirit really exists, it should be a lot like what ‘Love Actually’ and Favreau’s movie conveyespecially the sleigh scene in Central Park in the last one, with New Yorkers singing ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’. ‘Elf’ has not only aged well, but its reputation as a classic is also rapidly growing, especially in the United States. Born from the enthusiasm (or nearly so) of a group of novices, shot for little money and with exciting footage of how it was done (Favreau went wildly craftsmanship in creating the world of elves), ‘Elf’ is the perfect Christmas movie. It’s original, it’s funny, it’s sensitive, it’s full of funny scenes and jokes, it’s visually beautiful (the colors, the costumes, the decoration of the store), and it has one of Will Ferrell’s best performances. There are Christmas classics and it goes on.
Source: Informacion
Brandon Hall is an author at “Social Bites”. He is a cultural aficionado who writes about the latest news and developments in the world of art, literature, music, and more. With a passion for the arts and a deep understanding of cultural trends, Brandon provides engaging and thought-provoking articles that keep his readers informed and up-to-date on the latest happenings in the cultural world.