In the previous post about Charlie’s Angels, I posted about the movies that aren’t for critics but people love them anyway. Here’s another example – Independence Day, the original, from 1996 starring Will Smith. Critics weren’t into it. I regularly watch the sh-t out of that movie and I won’t apologise for loving it. Same goes for Reality Bites. Love Actually was trashed by the NY Times back in 2003 and, well, you know how people felt about that movie, revisionism and all. Here’s the thing though – it’s not like the people who enjoy poorly reviewed movies are under any illusion that they should be nominated for Oscars or anything. But not all movies have to be nominated for Oscars. Some movies are for a good time. Sometimes they make you feel something. Sometimes you just want to spend two hours on a ride, no more no less.
I say this because Last Christmas has not been well received. It opened this weekend to some sh-tty reviews which are fair but also… not relevant? I saw Last Christmas a few weeks ago and, as I wrote then, the movie is far from perfect. But then a George Michael song plays and Henry Golding smiles at Emilia Clarke and Emilia Clarke tries to make Michelle Yeoh smile and then you’re smiling too and, well, that’s all you need from a movie like Last Christmas. What else are you seeing it for? In the same way that people go to Mark Wahlberg movies to watch him grunt and blow sh-t up, there are those of us who go to movies like Last Christmas and stay for the cutes. And for London.
Because MY GOD there is no place like London at Christmas. If you’ve never been or you can’t go, then see Last Christmas. Here are the stars of Last Christmas in London, with director Paul Feig, last night for the premiere. Henry Golding, as usual, is perfect in his plaid pants. Mariah Carey would say this is almost festive – almost because green is never part of her Christmas colour palette. Red and gold and white, always. Never ever green. Super into Emilia Clarke’s Prada outfit except I thought, initially, that the skirt was pants and I would have preferred them to be. Not that the skirt looks bad, the skirt is lovely. I just think pants would have been more exciting.
And then there’s Emma Thompson, coming to life as the patroness of Last Christmas in her purple suit with purple glitter shaped like stars in her hair. I dig it. I dig the commitment and the excessive amount of gel. It’s the only way to make this happen – to gel the hair so flat and so tight, like a concrete sheet, so that the stars don’t move.
You know who also showed up in purple? A purple tie? That would be Andrew Ridgeley.
One more thing about movie – yes, this song is on the soundtrack. I’ve had Listen Without Prejudice V1 on repeat ever since.
I know I’ll never see your face again
