Festive selection movie box (From Western Telegraph)

Festive selection movie box

CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MOVIE (U)

Here we have the lottery funded animated millionth version of the classic Christmas morality tale. There is certainly no shortage of versions of this story in movie form. They seem to pop up as often as, well, Christmas and this is by no means the best. Animation has moved on a pace, as youll know, and while this story does lend itself to animation, Im not sure that kids these days will appreciate the art involved in this two-dimensional version. I do appreciate it. I am fervently in favour of the 2D art form continuing, for it provides beauty where Shrek provides someone as unrealistic but life-like as Schwarzenegger, but who cant get involved in politics. Unfortunately, art is subjective, and I just didnt like the style of this that much. It boasts the voices of Simon Callow of course, as Dickens and then Scrooge, of Kate Winslet and Charlotte Church (Yuck!) as well as Nicholas Cage (bizarrely), Jane Horrocks and Rhys Ifans, Michael Gambon and Juliet Stevenson. All in all, its not good, but for kids to see this almost un-ruinable story in the magic of the cinema, would make the whole thing worthwhile.

BANDITS (12)

If youre desperate for your monthly fix of unbelievable Lock, Stock bunkum then this will please you too. Its gangsters again, well robbers anyway! Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton are on a crime spree and hook up with Cate Blanchett, a bored housewife. Will they get caught or wont they? Nothing new but enjoyable enough and somehow just being American makes it more exciting than British efforts that turn their back on the Ealing days but shouldnt.

PRINCESS DIARIES (U)

In this film we meet Mia, a quirky not very popular girl, in High School whose grandmother arrives to visit and has some unexpected news. It turns out that Mia is actually royal, a Princess, and shes going to need a serious makeover if shes going to turn from ugly duckling to royal swan. Let the retraining commence, with Julie Andrews as the teacher/grandmother who despairs of her young heir. From the director of Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries is every young girls fantasy, Im told.

SERENDIPITY (PG)

With this film, Ive saved the best til last. John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale are separately out Christmas shopping when they meet as strangers and end up spending all day together, sharing sparkling conversation, flirting and hot-chocolates in the beautiful New York festive season. They go their separate ways, Beckinsale telling Cusack that if they are meant to be together fate will arrange it. Several years later, both are about to get married to the wrong people when Beckinsale returns to New York? Aaaah.

OK, so Peter Chesolms Serendipity is not the best romantic comedy Ive ever seen, but Cusack and Beckinsale are very loveable indeed, as are their friends, and as is the winter postcard Big Apple.