Go (dir. Doug Liman, 1999) It has been twenty five years since the release of Pulp Fiction. That film and the rest of Quentin Tarantino’s directorial work have been canonized, and rightfully so, I think. They are formally audacious, memorable, and strangely inimitable given how many aspects of the films are homages, lifts, recontextualizations, and … Continue reading Go (1999)

Lethal Weapon (dir. Richard Donner, 1987) You know Lethal Weapon even if you haven’t seen it, right? Two mismatched cops trading wisecracks while solving crimes. Maybe Joe Pesci is hanging around for increasingly strained reasons. That’s what I used to think. For years I never saw a single one of the four films all the … Continue reading Lethal Weapon (1987)

Cobra (dir. George P. Cosmatos, 1986) Los Angeles is under threat from the Night Slasher, who has killed over a dozen people in December alone. There is no pattern to the murders or choice of victim. Men, women, and children have all been targeted. Who can stop this Christmas slaughter? Enter writer and star Sylvester … Continue reading Cobra (1986)

Reindeer Games (dir. John Frankenheimer, 2000) Nah, fuck that. Nick doesn't do anything until Nick gets something for Nick. I want some hot chocolate. You want to hear about some Indian casino, I want to see some goddamn hot chocolate! And a piece of pecan fucking pie! Opening on shots of carnage, devastation, and a … Continue reading Reindeer Games (2000)

Adieu l'ami (dir. Jean Herman, 1968) Adieu l’ami, also known in English by the literal translation Farewell, Friend and by the more generic Honor Among Thieves pairs two very different cinematic icons in a Christmastime heist story.  Alain Delon had already established himself as a star by 1968, having previously appeared in films directed by … Continue reading Adieu L’ami (1968)

The Silent Partner (dir. Daryl Duke, 1978) Miles Cullen is like most characters played by Elliott Gould, but with the crucial if indiscernible difference that he’s Canadian. He works as a teller at a bank branch located in a Toronto mall, but does not especially care about his job. It’s a little before Christmas, which … Continue reading The Silent Partner (1978)

Cash on Demand (dir. Quentin Lawrence, 1961) Harry Fordyce (Peter Cushing) is the manager of the Haversham [1] branch of the Colonial & City Bank. He is a stern boss whose only strong personal connection is to his wife and child. It is the day before Christmas Eve. Someone claiming to be an insurance investigator … Continue reading Cash on Demand (1961)

Pottersville (dir. Seth Henriksen, 2017) Let me take you back to the autumn of 2017. The world is not great. A mass shooting in Las Vegas. Northern California is on fire. We learn the extent of Harvey Weinstein’s depravity. Maltese journalist Daphne Caruanna Galizia is assassinated in a car bombing in the aftermath of the … Continue reading Pottersville (2017)

The Mothman Prophecies (dir. Mark Pellington, 2002) The Mothman, a winged humanoid creature, was reportedly sighted in and around Point Pleasant, West Virginia between November 1966 and December 1967. The sightings became associated with a tragedy that occurred on December 15, 1967 when the Silver Bridge spanning the Ohio collapsed, resulting in the deaths of … Continue reading The Mothman Prophecies (2002)

All is Bright (dir. Phil Morrison, 2013) Dennis Girard (Paul Giamatti) just got released from a Quebec prison after spending several years inside for burglary. He’s returning to his French-Canadian ex-wife Therese (Amy Landecker) with whom he has a daughter. A reunion between father and child proves impossible because Therese told their daughter that Dennis … Continue reading All is Bright (2013)