#7

The critics hated this film…and when I say hated, I mean HATED! It got 5% on Rotten Tomatoes. I don’t know of any film that has ever scored that low. One critic had this to say:
“Some pathetically predictable plot twists and syrupy sentimentality, which could only amuse a five year-old, lead the Kranks back to their materialistic senses in time for a Kodak moment which shouts a rather shallow Merry Capitalism to all!”
Wow, that’s harsh….and I guess I must be 5.
I think this particular critic pretty much summed up all holiday movies, didn’t he/she? I mean, aren’t they all kind of predictable and sentimental? Let’s just say that I take holiday movies for what they are and what they aren’t. What they are is something to get me in the spirit of the holidays. What they aren’t (for the most part) are examples of Oscar winning cinematography. So let’s just say that I don’t really expect a whole lot. Nathan and I went to see this on a rare date night just after it came out and we really liked it. Then I saw how hated it was by critics and I was surprised. It’s a nice holiday story with a great ending. What’s wrong with that?
Starring: Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis
Plot: Luther and Nora Crank’s only daughter leaves the day after Thanksgiving to spend a year with the Peace Corps. They decided (moreso Luther decides) that this year instead of spending the thousands of dollars they normally do on Christmas, that they should take a cruise. In order to do this, they skip all the rest of the Christmas festivities including cards, holiday parties, and house decoration. Then their plans are foiled when their daughter surprises them with a visit home. They have less that 12 hours to get Christmas put back together again to celebrate with her.
Favorite Moments:
- Luther and Nora go tanning….hilarious!
- Luther gets botox and tries to eat peaches.
- Nora trying to get her hands on a ham. It’s a bit overdone, but it shows the lengths to which a mother will go this time of year. (This is possibly so funny to me since I once wrestled a Fisher Price Barn away from a woman in Target on Black Friday.)
- Luter steals a Christmas Tree
- The cops taking Blair on a tour of the neighborhood so that the parents will have more time to prepare.
Quotes:
Nora: Did you get the white chocolate?
Luther: They didn’t have any.
Nora: Did you talk to Rex?
Luther: Who’s Rex?
Nora: The butcher.
Luther: You know oddly enough I didn’t think to ask the butcher where the Chocolate was.
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Nora: Why are we going tanning before the cruise? I thought the idea was to get tan on the cruise.
Luther: Look at us, we look like uncooked chicken.
Tanning Lady (who is so orange it’s sad): Yeah, you look like a corpse.

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Caroler: Can we sing at the house next door? Are they Jewish?

So maybe check this one out. I really liked it, but 300 critics can’t be wrong….or can they?