A Lovely, Critical Holiday

A few years ago I included what I called the Peace Page in with my holiday cards, rather than a rundown of my own year in review. I’ll link to it at the end of this rant. Yes, sadly I'm still ranting -- this time over some "famous critic" David Edlestein. Critic = world's lowest life form, IMHO. I’ll blow off a bit, but then find my Center and wrap all this up in a goofy holiday package.
I got angry this morning listening to a critical review of Peter Jackson’s movie version of the Lovely Bones. The Critic called it “icky new age sentimentality” aka sappy. This got me thinking. I’ve seen my share of “important art films,” but you know I’m hard pressed to rattle off a list of them. What I can easily list are the “sappy” holiday movies that have impacted me: It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, the Bishop’s Wife, the screwball Christmas in Connecticut or even better Scrooged, White Christmas, and for me the ultimate A Christmas Carol in all ten (or more) variations, from cartoon to Alastair Sim, that I watch every year. Of course, Scrooge Edlestein would find all of those overly sentimental with simplistic plot lines, I’m sure.

I was going to write a nasty-gram to CBS encouraging them to drop this cynical, jaded reviewer. I would include the same thoughts as above, but also ask what if we didn’t have the Wizard of Oz or Peter Pan movies because of some self-important blow-hard like Edlestein who has never created a thing (Yes, Virginia, I did verify that.) All he has ever done, since graduating from Harvard, is rant about other people’s poor movie-making skills and art. And, while I do see the irony of ranting about him, at least I have written my own sappy novel which I’ll be releasing next year.

Critics, bah humbug! With their pen strokes (or big mouths) they have the power to influence millions of minds. Perhaps we don’t need another important art film right now, or another critically acclaimed “powerful” novel. Perhaps what we need is to get rid of the gratuitous sex and violence from the tube and movies, and bring back a little more sap. The world was safer and far more sane when we had more Magoo and Jimmy Stewart and less “killer films.”

If you want to know more about Peter Jackson and/or ‘the bones’ then click on this MTV review. I certainly won't link to anything from Edlestein, nor threaten his job. I'll just calm down and read my own Peace Page advice, and enjoy these final Twelve Days of Christmas leading up to that annual sappy, sentimental holiday!

(Sorry! I know that Muppet/Denver video is old and scratchy. Here's a good digital audio version of the song. Or just go with Magoo ;) Very sappy, and fun! More Magoo, please!