Pages

A Very Funny Christmas DVD Review

     Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English (Stereo)
  • Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: November 18, 2014
  • Run Time: 124 minutes



  •  

     

            Based on the books by David Walliams, these two hour-long adaptations are not directly related to the holidays despite the conveniently titled package. “A Very Funny Christmas” merely contains two adaptations of stories by Walliams that happen to take place during the holidays. The irreverently imaginative children’s narratives could easily be watched any time of the year, but packaging them this way enhances the timeliness of the stories and sets the DVD up for holiday purchases.

     

            The first of these unrelated narratives is the magical tale of Mr. Stink (Hugh Bonneville), a ripe-smelling homeless man with special abilities and a unique way of looking at life. Teaching her politically-aspiring mother a lesson in kindness, young outcast Chloe (Nell Tiger Free) invites the smelly old homeless man to live in her family’s shed over the holidays. His unique perspective on life quickly spreads, making him something of a local hero and culminating in a visit with the prime minister (played by Walliams himself).

           

            The second narrative in this collection is “Gangsta Granny,” which follows a young boy’s discovery of his grandmother’s secret life. Forced to visit his grandmother (Julia McKenzie) every Friday that his parents (Walliams and Miranda Hart) go out ballroom dancing, Ben (Reece Buttery) is bored with the routine of cabbage soup until he discovers his grandmother’s secret life as a jewel thief. This discovery makes visiting Granny much more exciting, especially when they pair up on a mission to steal the crown jewels together.

     

            The DVD extras include a few featurettes, including a behind-the-scenes look at “Gangsta Granny” and Walliams discussing “Mr. Stink.” There is also an additional bio-featurette on Walliams, actor and writer.

     

    Entertainment Value: 6/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

    Historical Significance:  5/10
                             Special Features: 5/10

    No comments:

    Post a Comment

    Agree? Disagree? Questions for the class? All comments are welcome...