A boy called Christmas (Henry Lawfull)

(Amazon UK link)

We usually like watching Christmas films during December, and I’m always interested in recommendations for films we haven’t previously seen. I expect the reason I came across the 2021 film ‘A boy called Christmas’ at some point last year is that Maggie Smith was in it. I probably heard of it around the time she died in the Autumn of 2024. I put it on my wishlist, and was given it for Christmas last year.

However, we didn’t get the opportunity to watch any films in the last week of December 2024, and by January had decided we would return to non-Christmas films.  And now, nearly a year later, we finally sat down to watch it. I had entirely forgotten any descriptions or blurb that I might have read, so we had no idea what to expect.

The film opens with the elderly Aunt Ruth (a typical Maggie Smith character) walking through a snowy street to a house where she is going to be babysitting. There are three children, and their father has to go out to do some important work. Their mother died just a few months earlier, and they have decided not to celebrate Christmas at all this year. Only the youngest acknowledges that he’s still grieving.

Aunt Ruth says she will tell them a story, and most of the film involves that, with brief forays back to the children’s bedroom, to remind us that this is a story within a story. It’s about a boy called Nikolas (extremely well portrayed by Henry Lawfull) who lives in a hut in Finland. Apparently nobody there has ever heard of Christmas, although Nikolas’s mother sometimes called him ‘Christmas’ as a nickname. Nikolas, too, is motherless now, and lives with his woodcutter father Joel (Michiel Huisman). 

They - along with a lot of other working people - are summoned to the court of the king (Jim Broadbent). They are told that if they can travel to find something to bring hope, they will be rewarded. Joel decides to travel with some friends, in the hope of finding Elfhelm, the town of the elves, and leaves Nikolas with his most unpleasant aunt. Life is almost unbearable when Nikolas discovers a hidden map that will take him to Elfhelm. So he sets out, accompanied by his rather cute CGI mouse, on a long and very cold trek towards the north.

It’s a children’s film, so inevitably Nikolas finds the elves, and some conflict arises which, after much stress and effort, is eventually resolved. There’s some humour, and some good interactions between the cast. There’s plenty of talk about the spirit of Christmas and the need for hope, although all in a totally secular sense. Christmas is seen as a special time for everyone to be happy and to celebrate, with no mention of its origin or the reason we celebrate. But it’s a film for all, about the origins of the Santa Claus/Father Christmas story, and as such I thought it was very well done.

The pace is good, the acting excellent, and the CGI and other effects merge seamlessly with the acting. There are some thought-provoking issues that arise, about the start of rebellions and conflicts, and the problems of a single-minded and strong leader. I thought the occasional switches back to the original bedroom and Maggie Smith telling the story worked excellently. It pauses the tension and reminds us that Nikolas and the elves are part of a story which may or may not be ‘true’ (in the world of the children listening). 

Some of it is quite tense, so I think the rating of PG is correct. There’s nothing inappropriate for children, and the mild violence, such as it is, is mostly caricatured. But there are some unpleasant concepts that could disturb a sensitive or young child, and another loss towards the end, which I wasn’t expecting. I thought the discussion about grief, and Aunt Ruth’s comments were sensitively done, and there’s a positive ending both in the story about Nikolas and in the outer story of the grieving family.

Recommended if you like this kind of light-weight family-friendly children’s film. 

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews

Ballet Shoes (Emma Watson, Yasmin Paige, Lucy Boynton)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s fifteen years since we watched the 2007 film ‘Ballet Shoes’ (originally made for television). I know the story well - it’s adapted from Noel Streatfeild’s best-known book, also called 'Ballet Shoes'. But my husband had almost entirely forgotten the plot. It seemed like a pleasant evening’s light viewing. Although the book was originally written for older children, the author wrote crossover books before the concept was popularised, and I like them just as much as an adult as I did as a child.

The beginning of the film introduces the young Sylvia, who is taken to live with her great-uncle Matthew (known as GUM) when her parents are killed. GUM is a delightfully grumpy (but benevolent) man who grows believably older each time we see him; he’s extremely well played by Richard Griffiths, who is probably best-known as the obnoxious Vernon Dursley in the ‘Harry Potter’ series. Sylvia is accompanied by her nanny, known to all as Nana, perfectly portrayed by Victoria Wood. 

Emilia Fox is the adult Sylvia, who looks after the house when GUM is travelling, as happens most of the time. Twice he returns, briefly, bringing babies whom he has adopted. The third time, he sends a baby via a friend. Pauline (Emma Watson), Petrova (Yasmin Paige) and Posy (Lucy Boynton) are the three sisters, given the surname Fossil, back in days when adoption was considerably easier than it is now. The main part of the book is set in the 1930s in London. 

As GUM stays away longer and longer, money becomes more and more difficult. The two older girls are at a private school, and must be taken out, educated at home. Sylvia decides to take in lodgers; two elderly academics, a car mechanic called John, and a dance teacher called Theo. I had never imagined Theo as anything like the one in this film, but all the other characters feel realistic. Theo is flamboyant - but she has the best idea: to enrol the three girls in Madame Fidolia’s stage school, where impoverished children were often taken for nothing, then trained to go on the stage. 

Pauline turns out to be a talented actress, and as soon as she’s old enough she’s engaged to perform in several productions. This is all true to the book, although in the book her classmate Winifred is much nicer than in the film. Posy is spotted as a potential star in the ballet world, and is soon given private coaching by Madame Fidolia herself. 

However, Petrova, perhaps the most interesting of the three girls, has no wish to be on stage. She’s not talented at dancing or acting; her interests are more mechanical. She’s very good at maths, and interested in cars, though her ambition is to be the pilot of an aeroplane. The scenes with Petrova and Pauline are, I thought, very well done. The two want to work to help with household expenses; Pauline loves what she does, but for Petrova it’s akin to torture. 

Inevitably some of the book is cut out, to fit the story into a 90-minute film production, but on the whole I thought they did it well. According to the IMDb site, Lucy Boynton didn’t dance in the film; instead, the ballet sections were done by a body double. I had no idea: I thought I was watching carefully, as I was impressed that they found someone who could act and dance so well. Evidently it was extremely well shot and edited to enable such good continuity.

The people are all believable, in my view (well, except perhaps Theo…), and the close bond between the three sisters comes through strongly in several places. Pauline and Petrova in particular are close; Posy can be somewhat demanding and self-centered, as was typical for Streatfeild’s ballet stars. But Pauline, too, finds that fame goes to her head, and that was also handled well. 

The BBC, who produced this, always seem to do particularly well with period dramas. While this is in the 20th century, it's set before World War II, and the locations, clothes etc seem entirely authentic. The acting is very good, which isn't surprising with such a talented cast, and the whole flows nicely, drawing us both right into the family and their struggles. 

I’m not sure I entirely approve of the extra romance thrown in towards the end - it’s nicely done, and quite low-key, and makes a pleasant ending for two of the characters. But it’s not even hinted at in the book, and leaves a slight organisational question open about who would be living where, in the future that’s given to the three girls right at the end. It ends a tad abruptly, but then so does the original novel. 

Overall, we both liked watching ‘Ballet Shoes’ very much, and would recommend it highly to anyone who enjoys this kind of production. Suitable for all. It’s rated PG, and apparently the only reason for that is that there’s quite a lot of smoking shown - something that would have been appropriate for the era, when it was thought that cigarettes helped people to relax, and the health dangers were unknown.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews

Stuck in love (Greg Kinnear)

(Amazon UK link)

We first watched the DVD of the 2012 film ‘Stuck in love’ in 2015. Neither of us had any memory of it, either before deciding to rewatch, or during the film itself. And during the first twenty minutes or so, I wondered why we had kept it - it didn’t seem either romantic or humorous, but rather sordid and depressing.

Greg Kinnear plays the main character, and is excellent as the middle-aged divorced Bill. He is a writer, and has two teenage children. Samantha (Lily Collins) is at university, and is a writer too. Bill’s son Rusty (Nat Wolff) is still at High School and must be about fifteen or sixteen. We first meet them at a Thanksgiving meal which Bill is hosting. He’s set the table for four, and while his children roll their eyes a bit, he is adamant that their mother will return despite her having left him three years earlier.

Rusty then goes to see his mother Erica (Jennifer Connelly) and her new partner. It’s clear that she and Samantha are estranged - Sam refuses to speak to her mother, blaming her for everything. Bill is obsessed with Erica, sometimes sneaking around her house and peeping in windows. 

Bill tells Rusty he needs to get more life experiences to be a good writer, and Rusty takes this to heart - and there are scenes of drug-taking, drinking, partying, fist fighting and more. Nothing too explicit, but there’s a lot of casually-used ‘strong’ language that felt entirely unnecessary. 

The story takes place over the course of a year, and after the first half hour or so I found myself quite engrossed in the plot. Bill seems a bit irritating, living in the past - albeit sleeping with his married neighbour, who seems keener than he is. He can’t let go of Erica and says he won’t fall in love again. He isn’t even writing despite having published several books. 

Samantha is evidently somewhat promiscuous but is gently befriended and wooed by a likeable boy in one of her university classes called Louis (Logan Lerman). And Rusty is very keen on a girl at his school called Kate… it turns out she’s not just far more experienced sexually than he is, she has a lot of other problems too.

It’s really a story about people, each one learning a bit more about themselves. Bill is challenged to start moving on with his life. Samantha, who thinks she has given up on love, discovers there are more kinds of love than she had realised. Rusty realises that life outside the home can be dangerous and stressful, and that hearts can be broken.

We didn’t think there was anything funny in this film, and not a lot of real romance either. It’s more a drama than a rom-com, in my view. But it’s all very well done (other than the extreme bad language early on). There’s nothing explicit although there’s a lot that’s implied, and I’m not surprised that it’s rated 15. 

The year comes full circle. Rusty has an astonishing phone call relating to one of his short stories, and at the end we see the family meeting again for Thanksgiving, mirroring the start of the movie, and giving an encouraging, positive ending for several people.

I was surprised at just how many songs were included as background in the film; I had only noticed a couple, when they were part of the storyline. But it felt as if the pace was good, and the music must have been just right if it was so unmemorable. The acting is excellent throughout. 

So overall I think it was well worth watching, but I can’t really recommend it due to all the casual swearing, and the somewhat sordid opening scenes.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews

The decoy bride (Kelly Macdonald)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s over ten years since we first watched the 2011 film ‘The decoy bride’, and we had entirely forgotten the storyline. We wanted something light and possibly amusing to watch, so decided this would probably be a good choice.

The story opens with the press gathered, cameras and microphones ready, at the door of a large hotel. Out comes someone dressed in white, with a veil covering her head. We - and the press - assume she’s the bride they are waiting for. Then someone else emerges, also with a veil covering her head, albeit not in white. And then someone else…

It’s clear that there’s a major society wedding about to take place, and that the happy couple are trying to avoid the press. This is probably a vain hope, since the bride is a famous and very beautiful actress called Lara (Alice Eve). There has been much speculation about who she might marry on the front covers of magazines. But she’s finally made her choice in James (David Tennant) who is a writer with a recent publishing success, a kind of travel guide to some of the Hebridean islands.

Unfortunately the wedding is halted when an intrusive member of the press is found hiding. Marco (Frederico Castellucio) has been stalking Lara, and somehow manages to find out where she is, no matter where she hides. Not that she’s in any danger from him, but she is fed up of his persistence. 

So James’ publicity team agree to relocate the wedding to a small, private one on the (fictional) island of Hegg, which has a population of just 75. James has written about this island in enthusiastic terms, in particular praising a castle. But when the team arrive there, they find it’s a ruin. James’ book, it seems, is more fiction than fact…

Meanwhile on Hegg a young woman in her early thirties is returning after working in Edinburgh. Katie (Kelly Macdonald) is still upset after a broken engagement, and has decided to give up on men. Her mother, who is in a wheelchair and terminally ill, runs the only bed and breakfast place on the island. She has never left Hegg, but would love to travel and see the world before she dies. 

‘The decoy bride’ is essentially a romantic comedy, although there’s not a huge amount of comedy. We smiled several times; there are some clever lines, and some mildly amusing situations. But there are some quite serious issues too, not just that of celebrities trying to escape media attention.

When James meets Katie in some rather dank-looking public toilets that are supposed to be haunted, they clash and misunderstand each other. By the principles of romantic comedies they were likely to end up together, we thought. But it was hard to see how it might happen. Then Lara vanishes, and Katie is offered a large amount of money to be the ‘Decoy bride’, for the sake of the press, so that James and Lara can have their wedding later, more privately…

It’s all very well done, in a mostly light-hearted way. David Tennant is good in any role he plays, though it must have been a bit strange for him, as a Scot, being the only person using an English accent surrounded by Scots. He’s entirely believable as the besotted James who has made his money due to good publicity rather than genuine research.

I liked Katie, too. She’s a bit awkward - intentionally so, I assume - and tends to speak her mind. She’s had bad experiences in the past, and tensions with her mother. But she does love her. There’s a beautiful moment, too, when she uses sign language competently to communicate with an elderly deaf couple who are dancing. And I very much appreciated the way that she and James gradually overcome their antipathy and realise that they could be good friends…

The romance element is quite low key, with nothing explicit and only passing references to sexual issues. There’s no violence, only the mildest of bad language, and nothing particularly tense. It’s rated 12 in the UK; just PG in the United States. Unlikely to be of interest to children, but there’s really nothing unsuitable for them, in my opinion.

Definitely recommended if you like light-hearted romcoms with some unusual features. There are no ‘extras’ on our DVD.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews

The love punch (Emma Thompson)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s ten years since we watched the 2013 film ‘The love punch’. Neither of us could recall anything about it, and we wanted something light to watch. So we decided on this film, noting that all four of the main cast were people we knew of. We’re not generally very aware of a lot of famous actors, so this was unusual.

Emma Thompson is wonderful as the middle-aged divorced Kate. We see her at a wedding, bumping into her ex-husband Richard (Pierce Brosnan). It’s clear that they still have things in common, but they can’t seem to exchange more than a couple of sentences without being unpleasant to each other. Emma Thompson has a gift of becoming the person she is playing - and I thoroughly enjoyed her role. 

Pierce Brosnan doesn’t seem to be quite as versatile; while the role of Richard is different from his best-known James Bond, there’s still a fair bit in common with the two. He looks and sounds like himself; not that it’s a problem, since his character fits very well with that of the businessman Richard. 

Kate has good neighbours who are close friends: Pen (Celia Imrie) and Jerry (Timothy Spall). Pen thinks that Kate would be a good match for her tennis coach, who is a rather klutzy over-keen person. Kate tries to be polite, and agrees to a dinner date with her neighbours and the coach…

However, this isn’t just a relationship-based film. Richard is a week away from retiring from a flourishing company which has been bought by a French organisation. He learns, to his horror, that the company has been run to the ground, and that his pension (and that of all his employees) is gone. This affects Kate, too, so they come up with a plan to get their money back. And it gets more and more bizarre as the film progresses.

Indeed, there’s more than a nod to the James Bond films, as well as others. The film seems to include a lot of adventure tropes - and I don’t watch many films of that nature. There’s an exciting car chase where Kate demonstrates unusual skill. There’s a scene where all four of the principal actors, dressed in wet suits and snorkels, wade into the sea, to the amusement of children nearby.  And there's a van almost falling off a cliff face. 

In addition, there’s a scene high up in a hotel building, climbing in and out of windows and balancing precariously. And there’s a jewel heist… or, at least, a planned one. To say more would give too many spoilers. But we thought it all extremely well done. There’s some humour, though nothing that made us laugh aloud. The chemistry between the actors is perfect; we could totally believe in Kate and Richard as a couple who married too young but are still fond of each other, deep down. 

I loved the way that Pen and Jerry are evidently very happily married. Through the course of the film, Jerry reveals, in passing, various unexpected information from his past, which Pen knew nothing about. But it’s done for humorous effect, even though she becomes quite stressed about it. Jerry just ‘happens to know’ rather a lot of people who are able to help in the unlikely and bizarre plot that slowly plays out.

There’s excellent comic timing, some great repartee, and the slapstick nature of some of the more humorous scenes is not overdone, but choreographed perfectly.  

The rating is 12, which seems about right; there’s nothing explicit, but a great deal that’s implied. I don’t think I’d show this to anyone under the age of about 15 or 16 anyway. 

There aren’t many extras, but we did watch some short interviews with each of the four principal actors. They didn’t really tell us anything new, but were quite interesting to see.

Recommended, if this kind of rom-com with a difference (and some silliness) appeals. 

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews