Really Surprised!

Dreadfully Boring

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

I can't quite put my finger on it. This special starts out bad, possibly purposely so, with Amy Poehler hamming it up something awful. But it grows on you with memories of Christmas's past. By the time Murray is singing a surprising non-rapey version of Baby it's Cold Outside we are in full Christmas swing. Capped off with a blast of nostalgia for Christmas Specials past with a surprisingly talented Miley Cyrus and a ridiculously charming George Clooney.I used to be a Love Actually Christmas Eve traditionalist. This however has been my go to Christmas special the last two years and I see no reason not to continue that tradition again next year.

I love this short, just shy of an hour long. It's sentimental, festive and has some great Christmas music. Bill Murray is obliged to stage a live show on Christmas eve, but doesn't want to. A snowstorm arrives and the audience doesn't turn up. Rather than let the evening be wasted, some determined people start performing. Luckily there is a gifted piano player on hand. Bar staff and kitchen staff turn out to be surprisingly talented. Bill Murray is a reasonable singer, but there are also some beautiful voices to be heard. Who knew George Clooney could sing and play the piano? It's light, fluffy, charming, festive and the perfect accompaniment to a late brandy on a winters eve.

I heard in recent years that film and television on-demand service Netflix was creating its own television series and programmes, then they started making films, and I heard about this seasonal offering, so I hoped it would be good, written and directed by Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation). Basically Bill Murray (also writing), playing himself, is in New York City at the Carlyle Hotel filming a Christmas special for television, and a number of a celebrity guests have been invited. But a massive snowstorm is occurring, Bill is worried no-one will show up for the TV show, he and the producers are doing everything possible to keep things afloat and continue. It is only through a series of coincidence, luck and perseverance that celebrities come along and join Bill to sing along and dance in holiday spirit to create an entertaining show and bring Christmas cheer. Also starring George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Chris Rock, Michael Cera as Jackie the Talent Agent, Bridemaids' Maya Rudolph as The Lounge Singer, Jason Schwartzman as Elliott the Groom, Rashida Jones as The Bride, Amy Poehler as Liz, Paul Shaffer, Dimitri Dimitrov, Scrooged star David Johansen as The Bartender, Jenny Lewis as The Waitress and Julie White as Bev. Murray has previously played himself in Space Jam, he does well with his trademark presence and quips, the big name co-star do their parts fine also, there are amusing moments, but it is definitely more about the Christmassy singing and dancing, all in all a fun seasonal musical comedy. Worth watching!

It always has been a respectable digital platform for films but this year Netflix went up another level. With them putting out respectable TV shows on their platform like Daredevil or good comedy specials from people like Chris Tucker or Aziz Ansari, they are an entertainment platform here to stay. Even more so, it's impressive how they stuck a big named actor like Adam Sandler to sign a four film deal with them. Let's also not forgot the film A Very Murray Christmas Netflix made with Bill Murray that came out earlier in the month to celebrate Christmas. Due to a massive snowstorm during Christmas time in New York City, Bill Murray worries that nobody will shows up to his TV show. Even with everything going on outside, guests and celebrities still find time to join Bill Murray to celebrate Christmas and to find a real meaning to the holiday. With really no plot here and only running fifth-six minutes long, don't expect a lot and this drags a lot also. It's a holiday special that depends on how much you like Bill Murray. He is much the same in A Very Murray Christmas as he is throughout the year. He is loud, obnoxious, and of course drinking is a must. His cast includes people like Chris Rock, Amy Poehler, George Clooney and others. Expect a lot of fun singing even by Murray himself and the best singing comes from really a surprising guest. With the type of talent here and with the excellent director in Sofia Coppola, I would rather have wanted this to be a full-length film with actual real characters. In a way though, that is asking a lot. A Very Murray Christmas is at least a respectable holiday special even if it's a bit of a disappointment. It is a special that likely is just going to be forgotten in Murray filmography years down the road.