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36 out of 50 people found the following comment useful :- This Christmas Movie Review, 21 November 2007 Author: joel massie (GoneWithTheTwins) from www.GoneWithTheTwins.com
This Christmas looked like it was going to pass without any cinematic holiday cheer. Luckily audiences will find a special gift at their local multiplexes from Preston A. Whitmore, a filmmaker whose latest picture comes wrapped up with so much holiday mush that it would be hard for even the biggest scrooge to scowl at its spirited Christmas message It's the most wonderful time of the year again, and the Whitfield family plans to continue their holiday tradition of bringing the entire clan back home for a few days of presents, good eating and family squabbling. The only problem with This Christmas is that each of the children has brought more than just gifts. Absence without leave, surprise pregnancies, interracial relationships, cheating husbands and angry bookies are just a few of the surprises in store for the family's matriarch, Ma Dear, making it a Christmas that will either tear the Whitfield's apart or bring them closer than they've ever been before.With This Christmas, Preston A. Whitmore successfully bounced back from his sophomore slump. The choice to "Crossover" into the holiday genre is a big move, though looking at the filmmaker's oeuvre, he seemingly defies categorization. Written with heart, This Christmas isn't just impressive for its well balanced drama and comedy. Its ability to transcend its targeted audience to become a holiday film that can be enjoyed by anyone who has ever experienced family dysfunction makes the picture a refreshing surprise.With an all-star, African American cast including Delroy Lindo, Loretta Devine, Idris Elba and the lovely Sharon Leal, Screen Gems certainly seems to be pushing the racial factor when marketing This Christmas. While this strategy will probably draw in adequate box-office receipts (See Tyler Perry's success), This Christmas will draw the majority of its fans next Christmas when it finds a wider audience on DVD.Though many of the family's problems translate to touching and humorous bits of cinema, This Christmas ultimately suffers from one fatal flaw, too much conflict and no easy way out of it. There is so much going on, that the tidiest and most satisfying conclusion seems far too difficult to reach. It also seems that the character of Joe, played by Delroy Lindo, has the answers to everything. Able to pacify everyone from street thugs to the U.S. government in a single night, Joe gives Santa Claus a run for his money on this Christmas Eve.However plausibility isn't the strong suit of the Whitfield family. There are plenty of nit-picky details audiences will pick up on that could easily take them out of the narrative. While viewers might scoff at bits such as buying the picture-perfect Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, the performances from the actors, tight editing and gorgeous cinematography will help get you through This Christmas.If filmmakers should write what they know, then Preston A. Whitmore certainly knows Christmas and family far better than war or basketball. A solid holiday outing sure to please any audiences that comes across the film, Whitmore's well executed dramady should resonate far longer than This Christmas.-Joe Russo
28 out of 39 people found the following comment useful :- Very pleasant surprise!, 25 November 2007 Author: greedtx from United States
I went to this movie expecting a humorous funny slapstick black comedy. I was mistaken. It was a real look into families at holiday time. It had several story lines which were interesting to follow and the actors did an excellent job in carrying them out. There was some really good humor as well but I appreciated the drama and the real look into what so many of us experience. I don't know the names of the characters but I've seen many of them before and they have done good work. You're going to love the very end(after the movie) so don't leave! Granted we all want a warm good feeling Christmas movie and this one will certainly not disappoint! The only hint I will leave is don't miss the scene with the baby oil! Go see this!
31 out of 50 people found the following comment useful :- A Wonderful Christmas Surprise!, 25 November 2007 Author: Stacy Burnside from United States
It is unfortunate the previews for this movie are so low profile. I didn't know what to expect and wasn't sure I wanted to see the move, but my 16 year old saw it on Black Friday and told me the movie was excellent. He's usually into movies like Live Free or Die Hard, hated Dream Girls and thought American Gangster was "just okay", so I HAD to see what had him so excited about THIS film. I must say, he was dead on with this one. This movie was EXCELLENT! The script was well written, the acting was SUPERB, and nothing was left out of this movie, which everyone, irrespective of race, can identify with in some way.I wasn't sure if it would be appropriate for my 7 year old, but I did not find myself cringe once and say to myself "I wish she hadn't seen that." There was very minimal use of profanity (I think the "d" and "s" words were thrown around a few times) and no sex...although Regina King did a couple of scenes in her underwear.I just can't say enough about the solid acting done in this movie. Delroy Lindo, Loretta Divine, Idris Elba and Regina King did stellar performances (I've never seen any of them NOT perform well) and EVERYONE did a great job. Chris Brown showed us he is more than a wonderful singer and dancer. I look forward to seeing him in more serious roles like this one. I believe he has a lot of potential to be a serious actor.There are just not enough good things I can say about "This Christmas." You have to see it for yourself. One of the best gifts I gave myself this year.
8 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :- Last Christmas, I gave you my heart..., 26 November 2007 Author: Tyy Tad from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Looking at the ads on television and realizing who is playing in this movie, it could be very easy to write this off as a Soul Food knock off that will quickly be forgotten. However, walking out of the theater after the two hour movie (complete with a random dance off for a finale that served as its closing credits), I realized that there was something more to this movie. It has a big heart and it's in the right place, even if the final product isn't as rewarding as It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story. Nonetheless, this is probably the best Christmas movie of 2007, even if that isn't in itself a big accomplishment.This Christmas chronicles the days prior to Christmas at the Whitford household. The Whitford family seems to have a lot of family members, and what are the odds that every single person at the family has a secret that they are afraid of being found out? I'd say the chances are pretty good. I'll try not to spoil much, but the problems in the family are best detailed with a bulleted list.We have: -A guy who hasn't spent a Christmas with his family in four years, as he's pursuing his dreams as a musician, much to the dismay of his mother, who worries that he is turning into his father. That connects to...-A father who abandons his family to pursue a musical career. This connects to...-The youngest son trying to hide the fact that he wants to be a singer so he won't break his mother's heart, as she's already dealing with the pain of two of her loved ones leaving her to become a musician. This connects to... (not really, but I don't like to break the chain) -A son that marries a white woman without telling his family while simultaneously being AWOL from the military.-A daughter that is being cheated on by her husband while simultaneously thinking that she's better than everybody else in the Whitford household.-A daughter that brings home her new boyfriend.-Yet another daughter that is rather promiscuous.-A mother trying to hide the fact that her boyfriend has been living with her for quite a while.(If only I was able to tie all of that in with some kind of Christmas music...) Did I miss anything? Oh yeah, the guy who hasn't spent time with his family was stalked back to his mom's house by two bookies that are owed $25,000 from him. With a family that has that many problems, it's a surprise that the whole family aren't alcoholics.Miraculously, the director/writer is able to chain all of these problems together so that each situation has a hint of closure by the film's end, even if it is done in typical Hollywood happy ending style. Still, This Christmas is pleasant and a sigh of relief in the midst of some of the other, inferior Christmas movies that contains no originality and no entertainment.If I could say one thing about This Christmas, it's that you will walk away entertained.Rating: *** out of ****
6 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :- A New Christmas Favorite, 17 December 2007 Author: justlikegrandma from United States
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie! I watched this movie expecting it to be another movie making fun of us but instead I found it to be an enjoyable movie. I love the way it each character had real issues and real conflicts that affect real families. Regina King, as always, did an excellent job portraying a woman scorn that has had enough. This movie cannot be compared to any other movie out there because it offers something for everyone without nudity. Surely, everyone who watches this movie can relate it to themselves or someone in their family. Chris Brown rocked singing "This Christmas." He takes 2nd place with this song only to the original singer, Donny Hathaway. And who doesn't do the soul train line every once and a while?
A movie that is worth watching over and over, 30 November 2009 Author: danceability-1 from Netherlands
A movie that is worth watching over and over I went to see this movie twice last year! it was sooooo good! I had a feeling that they were going have it come out on DVD around the holidays this year, which is good to watch wit the family for the holiday season! its a lot of laughs and some tears! very good movie! The movie is more than just excellent. It has an all star cast that not only delivers the story they live and are the entire story. This is already a classic in our home where it is watched on a regular basis. I love the growth of the entore family as they lived, loved, and fought around the holiday. Wow it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.Chris Brown, Regina King, Columbus Short, Nia Long, Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Laz Alonso, Sharon Leal, Lauren London, Keith Robinson, Loretta Devine danceability-1, Amsterdam Holland
This Christmas is about a family on Christmas, 27 August 2009 Author: ariel phillips from United States
This Christmas is a very good movie.I didn't think it was going to be good cause Chris Brown in not a actor he is a singer and usually singers don't make good actors.Laruan London is a very good actor she played her part very well.This is a movie that the whole family can watch together and love it.This move symbolizes what a everyday family goes through on holidays.I would recommend this movie to other people if they haven't seen it yet,and they wont be disappointed when they watch it.They need 2 make a second movie to so how the family is with them find out that there brother is marring a white women and having a baby by her.
Art, semi-imitating life, 15 February 2009 Author: bsdalton from United States
I just saw this movie today on cable and I was entertained. Yes, the plot lines were predictable, but name a movie in the last 25 years that wasn't. The cast was perfect: have you ever seen a bad movie with Delroy Lindo, Loretta Devine or Regina King. Look up the definition for "dysfunctional" and I'm sure it mentions family. We all have them. I am a 53-year-old white woman with only one child and and I related to this family. Ma'dere is doing the best she can to stay on top of her brood, while realizing that its unrealistic to do so. She's trying to find some happiness with Joe without betraying the fathers of her children. Her children are just trying to find their places in life, without severing all family ties. The scene where the new daughter-in-law comes in ("I'll keep drinkin' till it's funny") followed by the bookies ("Are YOU secretly married to one of my children?") is hysterical. So is the baby oil scene, whether or not its politically correct. This movie will be added to my list of Christmas movies.
underrated, 22 November 2008 Author: mr-payton
Strange how this flick gets an average rating of 4.9 while lame garbage like, say, Lady in the Water gets a 6...One thing that sets this movie apart from lots of other recent "black" comedies is that it doesn't rely on cheap lowbrow humor. Instead of painting black folks as various comedic stereotypes, it tries to create characters that everyone can sympathize with. It falls flat sometimes, mainly due to your basic family movie clichés (The Shocking Baby Revelation; We Have Money Problems; The Cheating Spouse), and a kinda slow pace, but the strong performances and dialogue manage to do some good for the plot.Of course it wouldn't be a comedy-drama without the heavy stuff, and this one has it in spades. I'll tell you what: One scene shows two sisters screaming and clawing at each other in the middle of a rain storm during an argument. That's basically fair warning that this flick can get pretty tough on the drama front. It's balanced out well enough, but it's liable to make you shake your head at some points.All in all, you could do worse than this one.
0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :- Tyler Perry should file a lawsuit..., 28 February 2009 Author: fierov6 from United States
Poorly written takeoff of a movie that Tyler Perry could have made a box office smash. Perhaps he should do a "Madea's Christmas" just as a response to this film.Humor is poorly timed and storyline is weak. The cast is good but they just weren't given much to work with.The two main characters in the film "MaDere" and "Joe" were obviously borrowed from Tyler Perry's very successful "Madea" movies which will make you laugh out loud and at the same time touch your heart. Halfway through the movie I had to pull it up here to prove to myself that Tyler Perry had nothing to do with it. The movie comes across as a poor imitation of the very gifted Mr. Perry as an Actor, Director and Screenwriter.
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