SeedSing Classic: The Advent Calendar of Great Holiday Movies: Day 3 "Love Actually"
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The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy
Day 2: “Love Actually”
The holiday season is filled with a bunch of different characters. There is the old man who finally discovers the true meaning of Christmas. The little boy who makes a grand gesture and starts his ascent into manhood. The long married couple whose passion is gone and needs the holidays to reignite the flame. The creepy guy pining for his best friend’s girl. The hot, and easy, American girls looking to give a few British blokes a good time.And last but not least, the Prime Minister of Great Britain looking for a holiday office romance with a staffer.
In 2003 Richard Curtis, known to some as a writer for the television show “Black Adder”, unleashed the film “Love Actually” onto the world. The movie was a mega hit and has become a holiday staple since it’s release. The movie follows a bunch of different stories about varying stages of love, and it all takes place around Christmas time in Britain. The mood is downright magical. For anyone that has seen “Love Actually”, there is no denying the schmaltzy Christmas feel of the film.
A movie like “Love Actually” will always have it’s fans, but it also has quite a few detractors. Personal note - I saw “Love Actually” during it’s original run. I thought it was enjoyable enough, but I also thought it was forgettable. I was wrong. The anti-”Love Actually” crowd has drawn me in, but I have not seen the movie since 2003. That is my bad. If you want to bag on something, make sure you watch it so you have a little credibility. Plus, I still think Bill Nighy was awesome in the movie.
Speaking of Bill Nighy, the cast of “Love Actually” is one of the most impressive casts of any film made the last 50 years. It is the “Avengers: Infinity War” of classy British thespians, with a few yanks thrown in for good measure. Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Martin Freeman, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Andrew Lincoln, Keira Knightly, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman, Billy Bob Thorton, Rowan Atkinson, January Jones, Elisha Cuthbert, Shannon Elizabeth, Denise Richards, and even writer/director Richard Curtis gets a place in his cast. That is one hell of a cast for a movie that seems like it belongs on the Hallmark Channel during the Christmas season.
That is the most impressive thing about the staying power of “Love Actually”, it is the most Hallmark Christmas movie ever. People flock to watch cheesy movies during the holidays because we all want to believe that the season brings magic into our lives. ‘Love Actually” is the king of the Christmasy schmalty films that seem dumb on paper, but make us feel like Scrooge on the morning of December 25th after he has his pleasant psychotic break due to hallucinations. “ Love Actually” is probably the most Christmasy movie ever made that does not involve mutated reindeer, Grinches, or Santa’s. “Love Actually” gets what we want to see on our screens for Christmas.
Good, bad, cheesy, heartwarming. None of this matters. “Love Actually” can claim all of those adjectives, but it will still be loved by many this holiday season. Movies like “Love Actually” are meant to force the happiness and warmness of the holiday season onto our darkened souls. Say what you want, but “Love Actually” does really believe that Christmas is all around, no matter how ridiculous it may look and sound.
RD
RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Hanukkah is different year to year. Need some more Christmas cheese, with a much less impressive cast? Go check out the classic “Saved By the Bell” two part story Home for Christmas.
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